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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26829076">The Rise of the Jedi</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/wolfiefics/pseuds/wolfiefics'>wolfiefics</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: Clone Wars (2003) - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Anakin Skywalker Doesn't Turn to the Dark Side, And yes Jedi breed, Clone Troopers real and imagined, Drug Use, Drug-Induced Sex, Drugged Sex, F/M, Joke you'll be read in on later, M/M, More tags to come later, Recreational Drug Use, Sith Qui and Obi, Sith rule, The Light rebels, The SW universe in exact opposite</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 11:20:26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>21,615</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26829076</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/wolfiefics/pseuds/wolfiefics</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The Sith have ruled for thousands of years. The Jedi are a myth, a vain hope held onto by the pathetic. Or at least that is what Sith Lords Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi have been taught to believe. But now they are fighting a war. Their clone troopers are barely holding ground against a strangely powerful rebellion's Droid army. An army said to be led by The Chosen One. The Chosen One of ancient prophesy, who will bring balance to the Force. A prophecy that all Sith have been ordered to subvert...or die trying.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Asajj Ventress/Mace Windu, Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker, Qui-Gon Jinn/Obi-Wan Kenobi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>67</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Backwards QuiObi Bang</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/MidnightDelirium/gifts">MidnightDelirium</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Again, another entry that is all Midnight's fault. When the art is revealed, you'll see why. She's EVIL!</p><p>And more thanks to the hard-working mods of the Backwards event. Without them, more..I was going to say wholesome but that's a lie...ENTERTAINING works would not be added to your reading lists. </p><p>My intention is that the chapter titles will be quotes from Greek writings. Let's see if I can keep it up, shall we?</p><p>Also posting will not be regular for this fic. I have another SW Backwards going at the same time plus writing for the Marvel Reverse Big Bang that is due to my beta reader in Mid/Late October. It will be finished. I detest WIPs hanging if they are mine. Pet peeve, let's call it.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Obi-Wan Kenobi gave a harsh, triumphant laugh. If luck was on their side, this battle would be the turning point in the war. This war that came from fucking nowhere, rumored to be headed by honest-to-gods Jedi! He snorted. Jedi. Obi-Wan wasn’t convinced the things were real and not some pathetic myth that the wretched lifeforms the Sith had ruled over all these thousands of years were desperately holding onto.</p><p>He turned on his heel, spat on the decapitated droid right in front of him and headed for the back lines. Annoying, droids. Why use droids when there were perfectly good clones that were a hell of a lot smarter than a damned robot? A few troopers saluted him respectfully as he picked his way through the carnage. Clone dead were being gathered for their funeral pyres.</p><p>Obi-Wan reached the main base camp and threw his helmet within he and Qui-Gon’s shared tent. The greaves and tassets joined it. Though usually paired together, most recently, their two battalions of Obi-Wan’s 212<sup>th</sup> and Qui-Gon’s 501<sup>st</sup> were running hither and yon putting out rebellion fires.</p><p>Fucking annoying. And they still hadn’t heard from Ahsoka Tano, Qui-Gon’s current acolyte. Obi-Wan was sure she was all right, though. Ahsoka was quick, clever and powerful.</p><p>Arms snaked around his waist and a bearded cheek nuzzled his ear. Obi-Wan smiled and leaned back into the tall form of his lover and fellow Sith. “I see you’ve come through unscathed,” he murmured wickedly, feeling evidence of Qui-Gon’s arousal pressing into his ass.</p><p>Deft fingers flipped buckles and efficiently stripped Obi-Wan of his remaining armor. Big hands splayed his chest, pinching nipples through his light undertunic. Teeth worried his earlobe and he moaned as he leaned fully into Qui-Gon’s embrace.</p><p>“Here?” Qui-Gon rumbled in his deep voice.</p><p>“We’re alive and we might have turned the tide of this damned war. I want you to fuck me until I’m unconscious,” growled Obi-Wan, pulling one of Qui-Gon’s hands to his trouser opening.</p><p>Qui-Gon took the hint, unsnapped the closure, and had Obi-Wan bared to the world in nothing flat. He bent Obi-Wan over roughly and Obi-Wan began panting in excitement. He heard Qui-Gon’s own trousers flapping open, the familiar snap of a lube packet, and he gave a gasping yell of “Yes!” as Qui-Gon shoved in without any other warning.</p><p>Just how Obi-Wan liked it and Qui-Gon damned well knew it.</p><p>Their fornication was bestial, animalistic, like it always was in public. Tenderness was for private moments where no one could see or suspect. Or mock. Qui-Gon grasped the hair at the nape of Obi-Wan’s neck and jerked the auburn man’s head back. Obi-Wan wheezed an exhilarated attempt of a shout and spilled all over the ground. He sent the shock wave of his completion through their bond which sent Qui-Gon right over the edge as well.</p><p>Qui-Gon pulled out and Obi-Wan straightened up, turned around, and pulled the taller man into a heated, open-mouthed kiss. When they broke, he panted, “I love how you fuck me.”</p><p>Qui-Gon’s expressive mouth quirked into a self-satisfied grin. “I know,” he smarted back.</p><p>They did up their clothes, being ignored by and ignoring the clone troopers milling about in a post-battle routine. Furtively looking about first, Obi-Wan reached up and brushed a hand through Qui-Gon’s tangled hair. There was a bit of blood at the forehead hairline, probably from droid shrapnel. It was still sluggishly trickling down Qui-Gon face.</p><p>“Let’s clean that up,” he said in a low tone. He noted Qui-Gon’s golden eyes had the dazed quality of someone with a mild concussion. “Do you need a healer?”</p><p>Qui-Gon shook his head, as Obi-Wan knew the stubborn bastard would, and replied, “I actually came to bring you to the command tower. Reports from the other generals came in while we were mopping up this clusterfuck.”</p><p>Obi-Wan nodded and let Qui-Gon lead the way. It was a better view after all.</p><p>The command tower was misnamed. It was one of the older ships that landed outside battle range and sent communiques all over the galaxy with current, real time information on how each battle was going. Their emperor, Darth Sidious, liked to ‘stay informed”.</p><p>He and Qui-Gon had been in the Emperor’s inner circle for many years now, Qui-Gon before Obi-Wan. Qui-Gon took a shine to a brash, smart-mouthed, brutal punk named Obi-Wan Kenobi and made him his second acolyte-in-training. Obi-Wan’s persistent ability to smell rebellious rats endeared him to the Emperor and, when Obi-Wan was old enough, suggested Qui-Gon teach Obi-Wan “everything”.</p><p>They’d been lovers ever since. Some Sith looked askance at them, in fact, so devoted to each other were they.</p><p>“Anything from Ahsoka?” Obi-Wan asked casually.</p><p>Qui-Gon’s mouth turned into a frown and his brows thunder clouded. “No. It’s not like her not to report in a timely manner.”</p><p>“She’ll be all right,” Obi-Wan assured him lazily, feeling that nice post-fucking lethargy taking over. “Even if she gets over her head, which she won’t, Rex won’t let anything happen to her.”</p><p>Qui-Gon said nothing. He triggered the door to the command center ship and waved Obi-Wan in first. Obi-Wan put a bit of swish to his walk to make Qui-Gon’s mood improve. He smirked when it did.</p><p>Channel, Obi-Wan’s communications specialist, looked up from his screen when they entered. The clone was pretty laid back, usually not involved in the fighting, but something on his tanned face and in his dark brown eyes immediately put Obi-Wan on edge.</p><p>“What?” he snapped.</p><p>Channel opened his mouth, closed it and gulped loudly. Not in the mood for games, Obi-Wan stretched out his hand to choke some manners into the idiot but Qui-Gon stayed his hand.</p><p>“What is it, Channel?” Qui-Gon’s tone was firm but inquiring. Obi-Wan hated it that Qui-Gon was so reasonable sometimes.</p><p>“Word from Kiros,” the clone said with a bit of a tremor in his voice.</p><p>Obi-Wan could feel the tension snap through Qui-Gon’s body, the big man’s spine almost cracking with the motion. “And?” He grinned. Qui-Gon didn’t sound that reasonable now.</p><p>Channel’s eyes darted around like vermin looking for a hiding spot. “The 332<sup>nd</sup> has disappeared.”</p><p>There was silence in the room. Obi-Wan’s brain went blank. Disappeared? How in the fark did 144 men and a Sith acolyte <em>disappear</em>?</p><p>“Explain!” Qui-Gon was now through being emotionally contained.</p><p>Channel instead flipped a switch and a calm, male tenor emitted.</p><p>“Greetings, Sith Lords and Acolytes. I don’t plan on saying much since I know you’ll trace this transmission. The 332<sup>nd</sup> has fallen, so to speak. Don’t bother looking for bodies. You won’t find any. May the Force be with you, you’re going to need it. The Chosen One out.” The message abruptly ended. Silence descended on the room for long moments.</p><p>“You’re shitting me!” exploded Qui-Gon in an uncharacteristic show of uncontrolled anger. It made Channel jump in his seat.</p><p>“What the hell is The Chosen One?” Obi-Wan asked bewildered. “And we will by all the Sith gods go after Ahsoka’s body! What the farking hell are they playing at?”</p><p>To Obi-Wan’s further confusion and alarm, Qui-Gon collapsed to his knees, the bones making a sharp crack on the metal floor. He looked poleaxed.</p><p>“Qui-Gon?” Obi-Wan took a hesitant step towards his lover and fellow Sith Lord only to be stopped by an imperious hand flung out.</p><p>“Gather the troops. We go for Coruscant. Now.” Qui-Gon’s voice wavered. It didn’t inspire confidence.</p><p>“Why? What the fark is going on?” Obi-Wan demanded uneasily.</p><p>“The Chosen One,” Qui-Gon managed to get out, “is an ancient prophecy from before the wars between Sith and Jedi thousands of years ago. It states The Chosen One will bring balance to the Force.”</p><p>Obi-Wan snapped his eyebrows together in consternation. “More Rebellion bullshit?” he spat questioningly.</p><p>Qui-Gon shook his head slightly. “No. I need to find the references. I need to find out the history.”</p><p>“What about Ahsoka?” Obi-Wan insisted.</p><p>“Oh, Obi-Wan,” Qui-Gon said sadly. “Don’t you see?”</p><p>Obi-Wan’s frustration melted back into confusion. “No?”</p><p>“If that was The Chosen One, he’s killed her.”</p><p>And that’s when the war got personal, as far as Obi-Wan was concerned. He saw the same conclusion reflected in Qui-Gon’s glowing yellow eyes. They sparked like a sun flare, snapping with furious energy.</p><p>“We’ll grind them to their composite atoms,” Obi-Wan raged, the Dark swallowing him whole.</p><p>Channel didn’t make it out alive.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which we find out what happened to Ahsoka.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Added tags for drug use, recreational. Nothing non-con or anything with it.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ahsoka Tano looked about in bewilderment as she stepped off the ship. Rex was right behind her. She could feel his confusion and those of her other troops as well. The Light was everywhere. It was like she could smell it. It smelled of wild flowers. Master Qui-Gon told her there were rumors about this planet, but he’d dismissed them as just that: rumors.</p>
<p>She stopped, both in her walking and her thinking. No. Qui-Gon Jinn was no longer her master. She was no longer mired in darkness, hate, fear, and violence. Thanks to Anakin Skywalker’s fantastical…healing power maybe?...she had literally seen the Light.</p>
<p>Skywalker had a bit of a bounce to his step as he led the way off <em>The Negotiator</em>. Ahsoka pushed herself back into motion and followed him. A dark-skinned human in beige tunics and a long brown robe, along with a small wizened being of indeterminate species in similar garb, stood waiting on the ground. As Ahsoka got closer to the duo she could hear their good-natured banter.</p>
<p>“Told you I did.”</p>
<p>“I know.”</p>
<p>“The Chosen One he is. He can turn them by a look.”</p>
<p>The dark-skinned man rolled his eyes in an expressive gesture that would have gotten her verbally rebuked if not smacked lightly upside her montrals by Master Qui… Again, Ahsoka halted that thought.</p>
<p>Skywalker, his slightly curling hair a glinting gold in the bright sunlight, came to a halt before the two and bowed low in respect. As he straightened, he half-turned and motioned Ahsoka forward. Trepidatiously, she did so and bowed as well, just to be safe.</p>
<p>“This is Ahsoka Tano, my masters,” Skywalker said with an easy-going smile. “When I met her,” here he frowned and Ahsoka tensed. “You should have felt the fear and distress within her. It was disturbing in one so young and so obviously gifted.”</p>
<p>The green, aged being looked up at Ahsoka and waved for her to kneel to his level. She did so with a bit of hesitation. He placed a surprisingly warm, clawed hand on her cheek and her memories flashed to the meeting with Skywalker and his droid army on Kiros.</p>
<p>
  <em>Ahsoka and Rex had been fighting through a small group of rebel droids, her red lightsaber cutting a swathe easily with Rex making sure nothing snuck up behind them. She paused for a moment to catch her breath and send out a Force tendril to see what was beyond the ridge. What she felt…she’d never felt before. Such happiness, contentment, and determination. It was…positive. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Ahsoka chewed on her lip a moment. Could she be meeting an actual Jedi on the battlefield? As far as she knew, not even her master and his fellow Sith Lord lover, Obi-Wan, had ever seen a Jedi. She straightened her shoulders. It didn’t matter. If it was a Jedi, he or she would fall. The Empire must be preserved.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>She gestured for Rex to come closer. He did so, his blond hair matted down from the helmet he’d removed a moment earlier. “That ridge,” she said, tilting her head in that direction. “There’s something, someone, there. Light Sider. Feels really powerful.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Rex frowned. “This was supposed to be a reminder to the populace of where their loyalties need to lie, Acolyte Tano,” he remarked dubiously. “If there’s a Force user that’s not Sith over there –“ He abruptly stopped, doubt clouding his brown eyes as he looked away with a bit of shame.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Ahsoka knew what he was thinking. She was contemplating the same outcome. She was just an acolyte, young, still learning, not a full-fledged Sith Lord like Qui-Gon or Obi-Wan. If she went against whatever was over there, she might come out the loser.</em>
</p>
<p><em>She tipped her chin up defiantly. It didn’t matter. She silently chanted the Sith code in her head. </em>Peace is a lie, there is only passion. Through passion, I gain strength. Through strength, I gain power. Through power, I gain victory. Through victory, my chains will be broken. The Force shall free me.</p>
<p>
  <em>“Get everyone together,” she ordered with what she hoped was convincing bravado. “We go over that hill and defeat what is there.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Rex saluted her crisply, put his helmet back on and began barking orders to nearby troopers. The few droids left standing were easily dispatched and the 144 troopers took place behind Ahsoka. The company moved forward. The fact that she’d lost none of her men in the skirmish so far gave her a boost of confidence.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>The closer she got to that hill, though, the more uneasy Ahsoka became. The Light there was near-blinding to her senses and she was feeling something akin to serenity. It made her want to put her guard down, deactivate her saber, and greet the enemy peacefully.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>It was so strange. It was downright disturbing and she’d been the winner of many a violent bout at the Academy on Coruscant. Vicious enough to get the attention of a powerful Sith Lord like Qui-Gon Jinn to be her master.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>They topped the ridge and looked down into a small valley. Actually, it was more of a deep wide ditch that might have once been a marsh, now dried up. A sea of droids spanned the area and the sight made Ahsoka and her small company pull up short.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“That’s a lot of droids,” someone commented behind her, but she wasn’t sure who. There was apprehension in that voice, though, and Ahsoka understood completely. It <strong>was</strong> a lot of droids.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>As if the mechanical army heard the spoken words or her thoughts, they turned as one, weapons aimed straight up at Ahsoka and her men. ‘Ah shit,’ she thought right before all hell broke loose.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>She deflected a few blasts and ordered her men in a hoarse shout to take cover. Then she realized there was no cover to be made. It was an open hillside and Sith did not retreat. They were sitting farking fowl.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Return fire from her men flew past her, but it seemed pointless. The droids far outnumbered them. She heard grunts as her troops were wounded and, for a moment, she worried that perhaps a retreat might not get her in too much trouble considering the odds. Surely coming out mostly intact rather than straight up dead and unable to offer information to her master was preferable?</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>All shots from the droids suddenly ceased before her thoughts went further. Her troops shot a few times more each and then lapsed into a ceasefire as well, mostly out of confusion. Ahsoka, with no small amount of apprehension, stretched out her Force sense again and was alarmed to note that the powerful Light Sider was moving in their direction.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>She squinted and peered down into the ocean of droids before finally spotting a man, a bit on the thin side but walking with a confident stride, weaving through his eerily still army. Ahsoka backed up a pace out of fear of the unknown before she realized what she’d done. She forced herself to go forward one step, then two, then three and on until she met the man at the base of the hill.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He was a human in his mid to late twenties, blond and his eyes were a startling clear blue, calm, wary, but alert. He wasn’t as thin as she’d previously thought, more lithe and agile, kind of like Obi-Wan. This Light Sider was not as stocky as Obi-Wan, though, and just a bit shorter than Master Qui-Gon. He looked…her lip curled…delicate. If it weren’t for his powerful Force presence, he’d have been someone’s lunch at the Academy.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He halted in front of her and his expression turned distressed. “Gods,” he whispered loud enough for her to hear. “How can you live with such pain, with such misery inside you?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>She blinked then sneered, “It makes me strong!”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He gave her a sad smile. “No, child,” and she rankled at someone not much older than her calling her a ‘child’, “it doesn’t.” </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>To her shock he closed his eyes, heedless of the fact she was his enemy and armed. He took a deep, steadying breath and stretched out a hand as if beseeching her. A wave of something Ahsoka never felt before and couldn’t identify washed over her, through her. Before she knew it, she was on her knees and beating the ground with her clenched fists, lightsaber deactivated and forgotten beside her. Grief, fear, rage, hate, and the need to hurt leeched out of her, like someone softly tugging those foul emotions from her as if an unraveling string. It left her feeling…</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Ahsoka looked up at the man, tears streaming down her face. “What have you done to me?” she demanded in a hoarse whimper. “What are these feelings you are forcing into me?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He grieved smile deepened a bit. “I’m not forcing anything into you, little one,” he told her. “I’m allowing you to freely feel what has always been there, drowned by the Darkness encouraged by those who raised and trained you.” He knelt before her and brushed away the tears with gentle fingers. “I allowed your Light to shine and banish the Darkness. What you feel? It’s joy, happiness, and contentment.”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Ahsoka’s mind stuttered to a halt. She was certain she was hearing him correctly but the words didn’t make sense to her baffled mind. “What?”</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>“My name is Anakin Skywalker. Welcome to the Light Side of the Force, Ahsoka Tano.” His smile rivaled the sun setting just beyond the valley and Ahsoka experienced peace for the first time in her entire life.</em>
</p>
<p>The wizened being removed his hand and gave a grunt. “Always learning one does,” he murmured. Ahsoka opened her eyes to see the short green person give a pointed look at Anakin. “Apprentice this one is. Masters harder,” he warned.</p>
<p>Anakin gave an acknowledging nod. “Oh, I know. Now that we know they can be reached, that not all of them are lost to the Dark, there’s hope.” He gave Ahsoka a fond smile that made her a bit uncomfortable. “We brought her troops too, Master Yoda. It didn’t feel right leaving them behind or sending them back with the news that Ahsoka flipped sides. I’m pretty sure they’d have come out the worse for it.”</p>
<p>Master Yoda nodded and then hobbled off on a peculiar, twisted cane stick to help him. Anakin then turned to the dark-skinned Jedi. “So, Master Mace Windu, are you convinced too?”</p>
<p>Ahsoka swiveled her head between Skywalker and Windu while the older man pondered his answer. “Plenty of planet to go around,” he finally said. “Get her to Padmé. I’ll take the troopers to those empty barracks we set up for anyone who joins that isn’t a dang robot.” Windu looked at Ahsoka. “Welcome to Dathomir, Ahsoka Tano. Any problems, tell Anakin. He’s fond of fixing things.”</p>
<p>Anakin rolled his eyes and let Ahsoka reassure her troops that they would be fine with the Master Jedi. She then followed Anakin down a small, paved avenue to a respectable little house. It didn’t look large but there was a lot of loud shrieking coming from inside it.</p>
<p>If anything, Anakin’s stride lengthened, his Force aura lightened further, and a big smile broke over his face. “Come, Ahsoka, I’ll introduce you to Padmé, Luke and Leia.”</p>
<p>“And they are?” she asked hesitantly.</p>
<p>“My family.”</p>
<p>Assuming that the names were for siblings, Ahsoka was completely taken aback when a very beautiful woman with dark hair and eyes, petite but no delicate flower, emerged from the house barely ahead of two children of around four years, who were babbling at a high rate of speed.</p>
<p>“Daddy, daddy, lookit what I can do!” crowed the boy, stopping long enough to levitate a small bit of gravel with a wavering hand and making it fly at what was obviously his sister.</p>
<p>The girl batted the tiny rock away like a bothersome gnat, also with the Force, and launched herself at Anakin, who scooped her up in his arms and gave her a kiss on the cheek. “What did you bring me?” the little girl demanded.</p>
<p>Slanting a grin at Ahsoka, as if sensing her astoundment, Anakin pulled two stones from his side pouch and gave one to each of the children. The twins immediately wanted to know what the rocks were, where they came from, and did they do anything special.</p>
<p>His response was, “Concentrate on the Force and you tell me. Now go on.” With the children suitably distracted, he placed a slightly lingering, chaste kiss on the woman’s lips. “Hey, my beautiful lady. We have company,” he tilted his head at Ahsoka, who blushed and looked away. She’d seen lots of sex but this affectionate behavior seemed…private.</p>
<p>“Hello.” The woman, Padmé, had a melodious but strong voice, one obviously trained for oration and rhetoric. “I’m Padmé Naberrie.” Anakin cleared his throat dramatically which caused Padmé to roll her eyes. “Naberrie-Skywalker,” she amended.</p>
<p>Ahsoka recognized the name immediately. She looked accusation at Anakin and then Padmé. “You are the ruler of Naboo!”</p>
<p>“I <em>was</em> the ruler of Naboo,” Padmé reminded her with a bit of a terse snap. “I dared to voice my opinion about the brutality of the Empire and had to run for my life because of it.”</p>
<p>Ahsoka felt something else she’d never before: shame. She looked away.</p>
<p>“None of that, ladies,” Anakin chided them both in a gentle tone. “Ahsoka, yes, she once ruled Naboo. Now she’s my wife and a respected member of our community.”</p>
<p>Ahsoka frowned. “You breed?” she asked bluntly. The Skywalkers blinked stupidly at her for a moment. “I was always told Jedi were monks, celibate, and didn’t know what their sexual organs were for beyond taking a piss.”</p>
<p>Both of them choked on suppressed laughter before Padmé managed to say, “Just don’t say such blunt things in front of the children, if you please? They repeat everything you say to anyone they meet.”</p>
<p>“Yes, Ahsoka, we, um, breed.” Anakin’s blue eyes were alight with mirth. “Frequently.”</p>
<p>Padmé snorted at that last addition and motioned Ahsoka into the house. “I have dinner almost ready. Good thing Leia told me you were on the way, otherwise, you’d be digging around for rations for the two of you.”</p>
<p>Anakin gave Ahsoka a teasing wink. “Nah, I would have just gone to Mom’s. She won’t let me starve.”</p>
<p>That stopped Ahsoka cold. “You-you-you have a-a m-mother?” she stammered out, flooded with longing. She didn’t remember her family, didn’t know if they were even alive, and never before cared to know.</p>
<p>Both Anakin and Padmé gave her deeply sympathetic looks and Padmé put an arm around Ahsoka’s shoulders, drawing her into the house. “Yes. Shmi is more than happy to feed anyone who walks in her door.”</p>
<p>Before Ahsoka knew it, she was fed a simple but delicious meal, given privacy to take an actual hot water shower, and given sleep clothes that were a little long in the arms and legs but fit well otherwise. As she lay in the room Padmé called ‘the guest bedroom’, Ahsoka wondered if her former master knew she had turned to the Light. Would he seek revenge? She sensed nothing of him in their bond since she’d turned.</p>
<p>After a bit of mulling it over in her drowsy mind, she found she really didn’t care. She never wanted to feel such nastiness within herself ever again. Ahsoka Tano slept peacefully and deeply for the first time in her entire life.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I wanted to show what happened to Ahsoka and also foreshadow what’s coming. Did I succeed? (waggle eyebrows)</p>
<p>Quote is from unknown Greek source but I thought it rather appropriate.</p>
<p>If you are familiar with Jim Butcher’s The Dresden Files, I picture Anakin as the righteous Michael Carpenter and Padmé as his fearsome wife, Charity. Don’t know The Dresden Files? Shame on you! Check them out! You won’t regret it. (And I don’t mean self-righteous, but righteous, as in “morally right or justifiable, virtuous”.) Michael isn’t called by the book’s protagonist Harry Dresden “The Fist of God” for nothing, nor was he one of the Knights of the Cross because he’s good-looking. A vampire just has to touch him and they burst into flame. Michael is what a true Christian should be, firm in his faith, not holier-than-thou but humble, always helpful, and reaches out to those in pain or are evil even when he knows he’ll be rebuffed. Michael believes that everyone can be redeemed if they only ask for it with an honest heart and are willing to repent. Michael is easily the best character in the entire series...and there are a lot of great characters. Highly recommend: A billion stars, A+ to infinity.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which we meet the Emperor (he's not all there upstairs), get some smut, and our Sith Lords make plans to take over the galaxy...if they can just find this danged Chosen One!</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is the chapter with recreational drug use for sexual purposes. Just letting you know.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan knelt side by side with nine other Sith Lords, each tense and waiting for the blow that would end their lives. Their Emperor, Darth Sidious, was, in a word, displeased. Or more correctly, irate beyond all reason.</p>
<p>“Eeth Koth!” Qui-Gon managed to contain a flinch but saw out of the corner of his eye Obi-Wan do it instead. Thankfully the Emperor didn’t notice the lapse. “Depa Billaba! Ki-Adi Mundi! And his very promising acolyte Quinlan Vos! Xanatos Du Crion and <em>his</em> acolyte Bruck Chun! Do I need go on?”</p>
<p>The last was said in a deceptively silky tone that warned all present to keep their damned mouths shut, that it was rhetorical. Unfortunately, Yan Dooku, he who trained Qui-Gon all those years ago, had an ego that rarely matched his common sense.</p>
<p>“My Lord,” Dooku simpered in a tone that made Qui-Gon grit his teeth. “We can’t find this supposed Chosen One to confront and destroy him. He is like a ghost. Smoke in the wind. He-“</p>
<p>The room exploded with lightning and Qui-Gon’s ears were now assaulted by Dooku’s screams of agony.</p>
<p>“I didn’t ask for excuses, Dooku,” snapped Sidious once the light show was over. “I was merely pointing out everyone’s inadequacies and the casualties because of it.”</p>
<p>Qui-Gon spared a glance in Dooku’s direction and managed to control his gag reflex. They were down another Sith Lord. No big loss there, really, but still one more loss.</p>
<p>Sidious didn’t appear to care. He stalked to his throne and settled on it with a bit of a wiggle to make himself comfortable. Qui-Gon could feel the man’s gaze linger on him as it swept the line of kneeling Sith Lords. “Qui-Gon Jinn!” barked the Emperor.</p>
<p>Heart pounding heavy in his chest but keeping his expression cool and unperturbed, Qui-Gon rose smoothly to his feet, walked before the throne, keeping his eyes averted, and knelt once more. He wondered if he needed to acknowledge his summons further but the Emperor began to speak again so he supposed not.</p>
<p>“Your worthless acolyte was the first of us to fall. Did you sense <em>nothing</em>? Have you so weak a connection with her that you didn’t even feel her pass into the Force? And,” the Emperor continued in a ranting mode, voice elevating in his insane fury, “you are the one who recognized this disgusting prophecy! What tripe about it have you managed to dig up?”</p>
<p>Qui-Gon waited to make sure he was allowed to speak and was opening his mouth when the Emperor thundered, “Answer me!”</p>
<p>“Your Eminence,” Qui-Gon groveled despite the fact it rankled his own ego. “I read it many years ago, curiously digging through the ancient archives when bored. It took me some time to find it again and then translate it from the ancient Aurebesh spoken at the time of the Old Republic. I know it seemed as if I was doing nothing, but, My Lord, no one speaks this language anymore. I had to pretty much teach myself all over again.”</p>
<p>The Emperor gave an expressive snort of derision. “Go on.”</p>
<p>“The prophecy states that this Chosen One will bring balance to the Force by the destruction of the Sith, or at least a culling of our numbers.” Qui-Gon cringed a bit when Sidious loudly ground his teeth. “There is more,” he hesitantly added.</p>
<p>“What ‘more’?” snapped Sidious.</p>
<p>“We may have brought about our own destruction. This Chosen One is just the final nail in our coffin.” Qui-Gon held his breath. These words would either be considered or he would be a fried pile of meat like Dooku.</p>
<p>The Emperor’s tone was calmer, which did not reassure Qui-Gon any. “Explain, if you please, Sith Lord Qui-Gon Jinn, bringer of ill news.”</p>
<p>Qui-Gon released his breath and silently prayed to any gods listening to grant him a bit of luck. “The Prophecy also states that the Chosen One could be the successor of the Father from the three ancient Force wielders. During Darth Gravid’s reign, when he lost his sanity, Gravid attacked the three ancient ones, The Father, The Son and The Daughter, on Mortis and killed them all.”</p>
<p>“And what does this rather boring history lesson tell you?” the Emperor sneered.</p>
<p>“That if the Father, the Son and the Daughter still lived, the Father would be deteriorated enough that he would not be able to control either of his children. It was foretold that the Chosen One would then step in and take the Father’s place in balancing the Son and the Daughter, who are the Dark and Light respectively. Without them in balance on the possible origin planet of the Force, both light and dark, the Force itself is in chaos.”</p>
<p>Obi-Wan, to Qui-Gon’s panic, hesitantly chipped in, “The Chosen One would be compelled to go to Mortis and step in to balance the siblings. Thus, he would not be able to concentrate on the war with us.”</p>
<p>There was a crackle of lightning and Qui-Gon braced himself to feel Obi-Wan die, their bond brutally severed, and a keening loss deep in his soul. It didn’t happen. The lightning was just an emotional release from their imperial leader, dancing around his withered, graying body without causing harm.</p>
<p>“This is pointless,” snapped Sidious after a moment. “Interesting but ultimately useless.” He kicked Qui-Gon aside like a piece of offal as he rose and strode amongst his few remaining inner circle Sith Lords. “Find this Chosen One and kill him. I don’t care how you do it. I don’t care if you die in the process. Find him. End him. Or I’ll kill you all and start from scratch. Plenty more where you pieces of trash came from. Now MOVE!”</p>
<p>Sith Lords rose, bowed, and then backed away still bent. Qui-Gon scrambled to his feet, following suit, and made it to the door when the Emperor’s voice reached him. “And Qui-Gon? I expect due diligence regarding this matter. Make sure all that seemingly wasted research wasn’t actually a waste, hmmm? And send some wash-out to remove what’s left of your former master. He’s already starting to smell.”</p>
<p>“Yes, My Lord,” Qui-Gon said obediently and backed completely out, swinging the door shut. He straightened up, his back giving a pop and sagged with relief.</p>
<p>Obi-Wan barreled into him, clutching at him, his face buried in Qui-Gon’s neck. “Not here,” Qui-Gon muttered, aware of the eyes of the other Sith Lords on them. “I have to find someone disposable enough to clean up Dooku. Meet me in my quarters on the ship in an hour.”</p>
<p>Obi-Wan lifted worried golden eyes, gave a terse nod and a glare at those watching them with ill-disguised disgust or avid, lustful interest. Then he spun on a booted heel and marched away, back straight and proud. Qui-Gon took a moment to admire his lover’s ass clad in tight leather before going off to find someone stupid enough to be willing to clean up Dooku’s remains in the presence of an irate Emperor.</p>
<p>After cutting off a couple of heads to get a volunteer, Qui-Gon headed for his quarters on his personal ship. He entered and paused. The lights were off except for a glow from his bedroom. A quick sniff told him Obi-Wan had already been in the Savorium stash. Qui-Gon sighed. While the ‘slave drug’ made his lover malleable and amenable to almost anything, it also made him distant and cut-off from Qui-Gon in the Force. It was a testament to how stressed out the meeting with the Emperor had made Obi-Wan.</p>
<p>Qui-Gon paused at the small medkit in the ‘fresher and pulled out the hypo spray of Pleezer. It wasn’t the drastic hit of euphoria that he could feel through the bond that Obi-Wan was drowsing through but it heightened his pleasure receptors in his brain and the nerves in his body. He was hard by the time he got to his bedroom and found Obi-Wan laid out like some spice trader’s well-used whore.</p>
<p>Obi-Wan lay on his side, curled, one knee bent up and a bit off, giving him reach to his cock and balls. It also displayed the crystalline plug pulsing through a rainbow of colors peeping out of his ass. Obi-Wan’s pupils were blown wide and little gasps of pleasure escaped his bit-swollen lips.</p>
<p>Qui-Gon approached the bed and used the Force to tweak the plug into a faster pulsation of temperature and vibration typical of this crystal. Obi-Wan let out a cry and Qui-Gon, anticipating Obi-Wan to orgasm, was surprised when he didn’t. He crawled onto the bed and shoved a panting Obi-Wan over. Obi-Wan’s favorite tooled leather cock tie was a shadow at the base of his beautiful organ.</p>
<p>“He really stressed you out, didn’t he, my love?” Qui-Gon murmured, covering Obi-Wan’s body with his and brushing light kisses over his lover’s face.</p>
<p>Obi-Wan managed to pull enough working brain cells together to reply, “I thought you were going to follow Dooku into a pile of ashes.”</p>
<p>Qui-Gon sighed, sensing Obi-Wan’s heightened distress despite his equally elevated arousal. “I’m alive, we’re alive,” he told Obi-Wan after a fierce kiss. “We’ll remain that way.” He then gave his younger lover a wicked grin. “Look at you, all dressed up and ready to be played with.”</p>
<p>Obi-Wan’s muscles rippled in a small sensuous stretch, bumping their groins together. Qui-Gon ground down, causing Obi-Wan to arch from the sensation of both his genitals and ass being pressured. Qui-Gon allowed his hands and mouth to roam the expanse of Obi-Wan’s deliciously beautiful body.</p>
<p>Crisp, gingery curls nested around his cock and a smattering of it dusted his chest. Obi-Wan’s nipples, peaked and hard nubs, were like two small copper disks on a pale chest. Qui-Gon gave a nip to one and then the other, just to listen to Obi-Wan moan in anticipation. Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan knew, was not a nipple man, so the older man went straight for the main course.</p>
<p>Obi-Wan’s cock arched towards his belly and Qui-Gon gave it an experimental stroke, gauging to see how stimulated his lover was and whether or not releasing the cock ring would be in Obi-Wan’s best interests. Savorium made one pliable, yes, but Qui-Gon had noticed that quite a bit of the Pleezer in the medkit was missing as well. Odds were good that Obi-Wan was flying like a smuggler being chased by the Fleet.</p>
<p>He wrapped his mouth around the bobbing member and began to suck, running his tongue around the tip and lapping up the heavy amount of pre-come. Hands sank into his long hair and gripped almost painfully, tugging mindlessly. Qui-Gon reached up, mouth still wrapped around his oral fixation, and untangled Obi-Wan’s fingers from his hair. He clasped their hands together and continued to torment.</p>
<p>“Qui, Qui, Qui,” Obi-Wan was all but sobbing.</p>
<p>Using the Force, Qui-Gon slowly pulled the plug out. While he didn’t mind a bit of play, the older Sith Lord wanted Obi-Wan to come with his dick deep inside, not because of the friction of the exiting toy. Obi-Wan’s sobbing turned to wordless, whimpering pleas.</p>
<p>Qui-Gon came off Obi-Wan’s cock with a juicy pop!, noted that Obi-Wan had well-lubed himself, and spread his lover wide. He, inch by teasing inch, slipped inside Obi-Wan’s hole, causing the other’s eyes, the gold barely showing around the black, to roll back in his head. Once Qui-Gon bottomed out, he settled. His own nerves were sparking like live plasma conduits. He wanted nothing more than to plunge mindlessly in and out of Obi-Wan until they both exploded, but he also wanted to make a point.</p>
<p>While he appreciated Obi-Wan’s initiative, they were supposed to meet to plan, not fuck. He waited until the realization that nothing was happening dawned on Obi-Wan. Dazed eyes blinked owlishly at him.</p>
<p>“What’re you wait’ng for?” Obi-Wan slurred, high as can be on lust and drugs.</p>
<p>“I want you to listen and listen carefully,” Qui-Gon told him, pulling out a little and sinking back in. Obi-Wan moaned but nodded that he was listening. “Consider from now on Coruscant a hostile world.”</p>
<p>Obi-Wan’s glazed eyes sharpened a bit. “What?” he asked a bit more lucidly.</p>
<p>Qui-Gon gave a predatory grin. “The Emperor is losing it, Obi-Wan. This Chosen One is taking out the competition, one by one. Sidious roasted Dooku like a fattened puffer pig and he was essentially senior among those of us left. If we are careful, cautious and patient, we could rule The Empire.” He ground into Obi-Wan again to emphasize the point. “WE could RULE the EMPIRE.”</p>
<p>Without warning, Qui-Gon loosened the leather cock tie, pulled out and plunged into Obi-Wan with a rapid brutal pace that, with their bond, sent them both spiraling into mind-blanking orgasms. Qui-Gon returned to consciousness all but crushing a still-out Obi-Wan, the sticky ick of his lover’s orgasm smooshed between their chests. Qui-Gon rolled off, tugged Obi-Wan around until he spooned the younger man.</p>
<p>Clean up, and planning, would have to wait until later.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Obi-Wan looked up when Qui-Gon shuffled out of the ‘fresher, squeaky clean and disgustingly wholesome looking, yellow eyes rimmed with red notwithstanding. It was morning and the younger Sith Lord was clearer-headed than he’d been the night before.</p>
<p>“You know,” he said conversationally, impatiently waving a slave over to pour Qui-Gon some tea and serve him his omelet, “I could have sworn you said that we-“</p>
<p>Qui-Gon’s right hand came up in a ‘stop’ gesture before turning to the slave. “Get out.” The slave didn’t need to be told twice. She scrambled and disappeared. Qui-Gon paused and Obi-Wan felt him send out a tendril in the Force, seeking something and not finding it. “Go on,” Qui-Gon said, grabbing a piece of bread from the stack on the table and slathering a fruit preserve on it.</p>
<p>“I could have sworn last night you said we could kill the Emperor and then rule The Empire ourselves.”</p>
<p>Qui-Gon gave him a teasing grin. “I’m surprised you remembered that, strung out as you were.”</p>
<p>Obi-Wan refused to be chided for his predilection for liking sexual enhancing drugs. “Have you lost your marbles?” he continued considerably disturbed. “If anyone else heard that, we’d be dead faster than we could draw our next breath.”</p>
<p>Qui-Gon tipped his head to one side consideringly. “Would we? Obi-Wan, think on who all this Chosen One has killed.” Obi-Wan frowned, not understanding. “Those are some of the Empire’s top Sith Lord warriors. Gone, like puffs of smoke. Their arrogance made them think they were invincible and they died for it. We,” and here Qui-Gon pointed his sticky knife in Obi-Wan’s direction, “won’t make that mistake. I think it’s time to use an old strategy, divide and conquer.”</p>
<p>Obi-Wan gaped at him a moment. “Split up?” he demanded. “I don’t want to split up! What if one of us finds this bedamned Chosen One and dies too? Qui-Gon,” and here he turned his tone to beseeching and beguiling, “if he kills you, I’ll feel it, I’ll know it.” He looked away. “I won’t want to live after that,” he added brokenly.</p>
<p>The knife was set down on the plate with a snap. Obi-Wan heard the chair scooted back and Qui-Gon’s bare feet padding towards him. Large hands settled on his shoulders and kneaded tense muscles. “If either of us falls, then it won’t matter, will it?” Qui-Gon acknowledged softly. “Any of it.”</p>
<p>Obi-Wan shook his head. Qui-Gon sighed, returned to his seat and finished putting preserves on his bread until the bread sagged with the weight. Qui-Gon had a sweet tooth.</p>
<p>“We stay in constant communication, by comm and through the bond,” Qui-Gon plotted around a mouthful of egg and bread. “Every move we make, every plan we plot, we run it by the other. And if one of us finds this Chosen One, we retreat until we can communicate and formulate a plan. We’ll know where he is. We make sure we aren’t more than a few systems apart so that we can rendezvous quickly. Together, we’ll take on this Chosen One and defeat him.”</p>
<p>Obi-Wan looked up at Qui-Gon and saw the golden eyes turn nearly black. “Ahsoka would have been an excellent Sith Lord. That piece of bantha poodoo will pay for taking her away from me.” More golden tones returned and Qui-Gon gave a sheepish grin. “We won’t fall separate, Obi-Wan. We triumph or die together, as we pledged all those years ago, my love.”</p>
<p>Reassured, Obi-Wan cut into his slab of nerf steak and eggs. They discussed strategies, where the Chosen One was known to be most often and possible places this detested Light Sider might go next. They decided Qui-Gon would head for Ord Mantell and Obi-Wan would go to the Wobani system.</p>
<p>Obi-Wan stood just beyond the landing platform as Qui-Gon’s expansive ship with several platoons of clone troopers powered up for take-off. Though he couldn’t see him, Obi-Wan sensed Qui-Gon was watching him through some viewport or outer security cam. The unease he’d been feeling all through their plans was overridden temporarily by Qui-Gon’s confidence. Alone now, it returned.</p>
<p>Obi-Wan had a bad feeling about this whole thing. Unbidden an ancient line from some dreary text he’d been forced to read as an Academy cadet came to mind: Return with your shield, or on it.</p>
<p>He shivered and hoped it was some ill-omen.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Chapter title courtesy of Isocrates</p>
<p>As for Obi-Wan’s last thought, it is said that Spartan women admonished their husbands, sons, and brothers to “return with your shield or on it” when they went to battle. Spartan women were hardcore.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Qui-Gon meets the Chosen One face-to-face</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Twice one or the other of them thought they sensed The Chosen One on the planet they were on, retreated, strategized and went to confront, only to find the wily Light Sider had done one of his infamous vanishing acts. Qui-Gon thought he’d seen in the distance, directing immense legions of battle droids, Eeth Koth. Obi-Wan reported he was certain he’d spotted Depa Billaba with Ki-Adi Mundi directing droidekas in the mass slaughter of troops on Bandomeer. Two more minor Sith Lords, Reeft and Garen Muln, were reported to have fallen before The Chosen One’s blade. These two had been contemporaries, of a sort, to Obi-Wan, so Qui-Gon knew Obi-Wan was starting to get riled.</p>
<p>Everything came to a head on Mandalore. A warrior society that every so often rose in rebellion and had to be smacked down a brutal enough fashion they waited several hundred years before doing it again, Mandalore was currently crawling with droids. Their ruler, Duchess Satine Kryze, welcomed the rebel army with open arms and now led a large compliment against the Sith.</p>
<p>To both Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan’s disgust, they were losing and badly. Clone bodies were littering the ground as far as they could see. Qui-Gon was beginning to understand the logic behind droids as soldiers rather than men, even they were clones. Droids were cheaper to build…and fix.</p>
<p>“We have to take out their leadership,” Qui-Gon told Obi-Wan in a near shout as they stood back to back, sabers lit, helmets long since lost. The din of battle was deafening.</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>Obi-Wan shook his head. “How will we get to them?” he demanded. “Farking droids everywhere! Where are they getting the resources to make these damned things?”</p>
<p>Qui-Gon hesitated to say it, but it needed said. “We need to split up. You take what’s left of the 212<sup>th</sup> and go south. I’ll take my 501<sup>st</sup> and circle around as far as I can and try to get them from the north, behind them. Pincer move and cut them all down in a crossfire.”</p>
<p>He could almost hear Obi-Wan’s mental chant of “no no no no no” and understood. The operation on Mandalore was bigger than they’d been led to believe. They’d been set up, whether by fellow Sith Lords or Sidious himself, it was unclear and, frankly, didn’t matter at the moment.</p>
<p>He turned around and tugged Obi-Wan to face him. “I know,” he murmured, leaning down for a kiss. He wanted to bundle them both up and run like hell but there was no where they could go that the Emperor wouldn’t find them. So Qui-Gon settled for a brief, if passionate kiss, before breaking away and giving Obi-Wan a shove to get him moving. “Go. This will work.” He tried to inject some confidence in his tone but knew he failed.</p>
<p>Obi-Wan swallowed, nodded and lifted his comm, shouting orders to his troops. Within ten minutes, Obi-Wan and the 212<sup>th</sup> Attack Battalion were gone to the south, disappearing into the haze of battle.</p>
<p>Qui-Gon then called his own troops together, ordered both he and Obi-Wan’s ships to lay cover fire, told the added unassigned troops to continue a frontal assault, and began the precarious attempt to go around the droid army to come up behind. It was a million to one chance, but Qui-Gon figured he’d lived to age 55 as a Sith Lord. He liked those odds. He’d beaten worse just living.</p>
<p>A half an hour’s march through rubble-strewn streets, dodging craters, and keeping their eyes peeled for snipers, Qui-Gon was beginning to think it was a bit too easy, this plan of his. His bond with Obi-Wan told him that other than a few shots exchanged, Obi-Wan too was encountering very little interference in his troops’ movements. A mounting sense of dread swamped the bond, but whether from himself, Obi-Wan or them together, Qui-Gon couldn’t say.</p>
<p>The 501st reached the outskirts of the mid-sized city that had been the epicenter a day earlier of the fighting when a strong voice called out, “Go no further, Sith Lord Jinn!”</p>
<p>He spun in a circle, saber ablaze, trying to pinpoint where the voice came from, but saw nothing but debris and his own alarmed troops. He stretched out his senses and reeled back when he was overwhelmed with the Light. He fell to a knee and struggled to his feet with help from a nearby white-armored clone.</p>
<p>“Who are you?” he demanded in a ringing shout.</p>
<p>There was an answering chuckle, genuinely amused, not mocking. “You know who I am. You’ve been hunting me for months. I have to admit, a couple times, you got close!”</p>
<p>A slim man appeared about 50 yards in front of Qui-Gon. Nothing was there before, Qui-Gon was sure of it. The young man, early to mid-twenties from the look of him, held a lightsaber easy in his right hand but it was not ignited.</p>
<p>“Shoot him, you idiots!” Qui-Gon roared.</p>
<p>A blue blade exploded from The Chosen One’s blade and appeared to deflect bolt after bolt, hitting not a clone with any of them on the ricochet. It was a blue blur, so fast Qui-Gon couldn’t follow it. Tired of this cat-and-mouse, the Sith Lord made a leap forward, calling in his mind down the bond to Obi-Wan, <em>He’s here! Outskirts of the city! I have no choice but to engage!</em></p>
<p>There was no response from Obi-Wan and the panic that lack induced caused Qui-Gon to miss his strike. Or The Chosen One was made of air. It was 50/50 on that.</p>
<p>Qui-Gon landed with a thud, rolled to dodge the blade he anticipated coming down at him, and came to his feet. The young man he was trying to fight was just looking at him with this bemused expression.</p>
<p>“Ahsoka says that, for a Sith Lord, you were a good master, a good teacher, and that you had some bit of affection for her. That recommends you to me.”</p>
<p>The words sent Qui-Gon into a rage. “Murderer!” he snarled and made to strike again. And once more, The Chosen One’s body became incorporeal and Qui-Gon’s blade just ghosted through. Qui-Gon pulled back, one step, two steps and reconsidered his strategy.</p>
<p>“Oh, she’s not dead,” laughed the man in front of him cheerfully. “In fact, she’s spoiling the kids rotten. Teaching my mother some new bad habits as well.”</p>
<p>Qui-Gon’s brain stuttered to a halt. “What?” he rasped. Ahsoka was alive?</p>
<p>As if picking up the stray thought, The Chosen One nodded. “Oh sure. I think of her as kind of a little sister. Never had one of those, you see. I call her Snips.” The man shrugged a bit self-consciously. “No idea why. Just seems to fit. Maybe because she’s kind of snippy. You know, sarcastic?”</p>
<p>Qui-Gon’s disconcertment faded, replaced by anger. “You took her from me!” he roared and swung at the detestable Light Sider. His red blade connected but Qui-Gon didn’t realize that it did no damage. “She would have been a great Sith Lord, powerful! A worthy successor to me!”</p>
<p>An eyebrow quirked on his opponent’s face. “Obi-Wan isn’t worthy?” he asked mildly, sending Qui-Gon into a deeper fury.</p>
<p>“Obi-Wan,” Qui-Gon snarled, delivering another severing strike that did nothing, “will eat your heart for lunch. I’ll see to it personally!” He swung and swung, chopping this so-called undefeatable Chosen One to bits in a flurry of vitriolic vengeance.</p>
<p>“Sir.” Shocker’s grasp on his arm halted Qui-Gon making further blows. He turned on the clone, who took a step back out of precaution. “Sir, you aren’t hurting him. I think it’s a projection.”</p>
<p>Qui-Gon blinked, whirled around, and, sure enough, The Chosen One stood there smiling serenely at him. Not even his hair was disturbed, let alone limbs sliced off. Hesitantly, Qui-Gon poked the figure with his blade, watching in disbelief as it went through the man’s torso and came out the other side. He pulled his weapon back and then went to slap that contemptible smirk off that face but his hand ghosted through.</p>
<p>The figure wavered and then just winked out of existence. The clones as one made a gasp and rifles raised up in a firing position. About 100 yards away, The Chosen One was standing. Qui-Gon gaped. A Force projection? He’d heard of such things but never believed they were possible. The power that it would take…He swallowed, a spike of fear coiling in his stomach. There was a ping through his bond with Obi-Wan, who’d no doubt felt that fear and was inquiring its source.</p>
<p>The man, The Chosen One, gave a little wave and a shout. “You done? Ahsoka said it would be best to let you get that rage and aggression out first. You might be more amenable to talking afterwards.”</p>
<p>Qui-Gon powered down his blade. From what he could see, the young man’s own weapon hung comfortably at his waist and his hands were out in an unthreatening manner. Instinct told Qui-Gon this figure was the real thing. Qui-Gon decided to approach, motioning his troops to stay put. The closer he got, the more certain Qui-Gon was that the youth before him, while not a fool by any means, would mean him harm only if it were offered first.</p>
<p>Craving to know what happened to Ahsoka, and the other missing Sith Lords, Qui-Gon came to a halt before the other. “They aren’t dead, are they?” He asked it but he had a feeling he knew the truth.</p>
<p>“Of course not.”</p>
<p>“I can’t keep calling you ‘The Chosen One’ in my head. What are you called?”</p>
<p>The young man gave an easy grin. “Anakin Skywalker. Ahsoka calls me Skyguy, probably in retaliation for Snips.”</p>
<p>“Skywalker.” Qui-Gon rolled the name around in his head and sent it to Obi-Wan through their bond. Skywalker knew he’d done it when the grin widened.</p>
<p>“Your partner is dealing with nothing but the, shall we say, less than stellar batches of droids? He’s clever and brilliant enough that he won’t come to harm.” Skywalker shrugged. “A bit of a ruse, I admit, but I wasn’t all that sure I could get to both of you at the same time. Divide and conquer works both ways, you know.”</p>
<p>Qui-Gon tensed. “Get to both of us?” he repeated cautiously. “What do you mean?”</p>
<p>Skywalker’s smile turned a bit sad. “You’ve figured it out. You know what I’m doing. Doesn’t it intrigue you just a little? A teeny tiny bit?”</p>
<p>Qui-Gon opened his mouth to reply and something bright burned in his mind, in his chest, and he closed his eyes and thought of Obi-Wan.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Obi-Wan was starting to get pissed. These droids were garbage. Hell, some of them when they walked, their arms fell off. None of them could hit the broadside of a barn with the door closed and they were two feet from it. And why the <strong>fark </strong>wasn’t Qui-Gon answering him?</p>
<p>Earlier there had been intense rage. Something set his beloved off but per their agreement it wasn’t this farking Chosen One. Qui-Gon would have notified him immediately and they would have ganged up on the Light Sider and ended this nonsense once and for all.</p>
<p>Then something he rarely felt from Qui-Gon: fear.<strong> Intense </strong>fear. The name ‘Skywalker’ filtered to him, though what the hell, or who the hell, Skywalker was, Obi-Wan hadn’t a clue. His inquiry received no answer nor any sent after.</p>
<p>Out of sheer frustration and a lot of worry, Obi-Wan sliced through three droids at once. They were no threat. They didn’t even have arms. Trash. It was obvious this was a set-up, maybe even a trap…</p>
<p>Obi-Wan halted, fearing snaking around his heart and he sent a frantic <em>Qui-Gon! Trap!</em> through the bond. Still no response. Something was horribly, horribly wrong. “Cody!” he shouted.</p>
<p>The clone commander loped up and saluted. “Call Shocker. Find out just what the fark is going on over there,” he growled, wiping sweaty hair from his eyes.</p>
<p>Cody mumbled through the comm unit in his helmet but Obi-Wan, if there was an answer, never heard it.</p>
<p>Qui-Gon was there. Qui-Gon was gone. Blink. Heartbeat. The difference between being whole and torn apart.</p>
<p>Obi-Wan didn’t know he’d collapsed. He didn’t know he was howling, screaming in pain and heartbreak. He didn’t know his troops gathered around him at first, trying to get him to respond, to protect him from the crap droids. He didn’t feel when they lifted him into a carry and carted him to his ship. He didn’t realize that his screaming went silent when his throat tore out from the effort or that his men clamped him to a medbed to keep him from hurting himself.</p>
<p>All he knew was that Qui-Gon was gone and he would never be whole again.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Ahsoka's fate has been revealed to Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan plans his vengeance.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was early evening when Skywalker’s ship <em>The Negotiator</em> landed on the mythical planet of Dathomir. The entire trip, Qui-Gon had quizzed and bantered with the younger man, learning about this new version of the Force, its powers and purpose. The latter seemed to nonplus Anakin.</p><p>“Purpose?” he had queried. “What do you mean ‘purpose’?”</p><p>“What do you use this Light Side of the Force for?” Qui-Gon tried to explain but he felt clumsy with his words.</p><p>Anakin had stared at him for a long moment and answered quite simply, “To live.” Then he gave a full belly laugh, chortling an addition of, “You’ll see when we get home.” Which only prompted more questions from Qui-Gon.</p><p>Since accepting the Light, Qui-Gon had been torn between awe and panic. He thought he understood why he hadn’t felt Ahsoka move to the other side of the Force as the perspective, so to speak, was entirely different. He felt different, he saw things differently, he felt less edgy or prone to temper, more even keel. The bonds of all his acolytes, even Obi-Wan, had been based on some sort of violent or hard behavior. The Light offered gentleness, understanding, and peace. It was a far cry from what the Dark offered, which now he saw was pretty much nothing but pain.</p><p>The panic stemmed wholly from the fact he could feel Obi-Wan no longer. He remembered well Obi-Wan’s words that he could not live without Qui-Gon. Images of Obi-Wan killing himself swamped his thoughts and his sleep during the sleep cycles of their journey. He wondered if he could get a message to Obi-Wan, reassure his love that he was safe and unharmed. Then he talked himself out of it. He would have to trust in the Force to see his future, and Obi-Wan’s, clear.</p><p>The ship landed and Qui-Gon watched as his troops milled about uncertainly when the ramp lowered. He was about to step forward and be an example by going down first but a head popped through the door.</p><p>Rex.</p><p>“By all the little green gods,” Rex said with a laugh. “You guys aren’t walking into a massacre! Come on! Help me tell Master Windu that we need more comfortable beds.”</p><p>Everyone, including Qui-Gon, gaped at him in shock.</p><p>“Rex,” Qui-Gon began hesitantly and then stopped when his former first in command that he’d put Ahsoka under care turned to look at him.</p><p>Rex’s grin widened. “He got you!” the clone crowed in triumph. “I knew he would!”</p><p>“Rex,” Qui-Gon repeated, his tone hushed. “Is Ahsoka…” He couldn’t finish it. Some part of him still believed, apparently, that she was dead.</p><p>Rex walked up to Qui-Gon and stood before him, not as a subordinate but as an equal. “She’s fine. Probably helping Shmi at the moment, if I know her.” He turned to Anakin, who had appeared sometime during this and was standing to the side, watching with a small, knowing smile. “I’ll take my brothers to the barracks. Good thing we’ve been on a massive building project, the way you keep bringing us in.”</p><p>Anakin gave a self-effacing shrug. “I’ll take Qui-Gon with me tonight. Would you swing by Master Yoda’s place and tell him?”</p><p>Rex nodded amiably. “Oh sure. No problem.” He turned to his brother clones of the former 501<sup>st</sup> and said jovially, “Fall out, lazy bones! Let’s get everyone settled for the night.”</p><p>Clones trooped out and Qui-Gon waited until they were all clear of the ship before accompanying Anakin down the ramp after. Qui-Gon’s foot hit dirt and he almost passed out. He swayed and felt Anakin’s hands grip his upper arms to keep him upright.</p><p>“Wizard,” breathed Anakin with a bit of awe. “I’ve never felt anyone do that before.”</p><p>“Do what?” Qui-Gon managed to strangle out.</p><p>“Be so aligned with the Living Force. My master, Yoda, is pretty strong with it but also with the Unifying. Stands to reason though. He <em>is</em> about 800 years old,” Anakin explained.</p><p>“I didn’t feel this way on Mandalore,” Qui-Gon noted, regaining a bit of his equilibrium.</p><p>“To be fair, not much living left on Mandalore,” Anakin said without accusation. “Plus you were overwhelmed with the turning. You’ve gotten a bit used to the Light Side, so you are more aware of things. Plus,” he added nonchalantly, “Dathomir is crawling with the Living Force. Pretty much an entire planet of it from the core out. You’re going to be punch drunk on it for a bit, I’d imagine.”</p><p>Qui-Gon stretched out his senses and was overpowered by green. Lust green plants and trees, animals skittering here and there about, the life forms who lived nearby and their contentment…it was overwhelming.</p><p>Anakin guided him as if he were blind, Qui-Gon’s head swiveling this way and that as he tried to pinpoint things. It was a bit of a walk down a small paved avenue until Anakin reached a house. “Padme!” he called out, reaching for the door.</p><p>The name was familiar, but Qui-Gon couldn’t say why. His memory was immediately jogged when Anakin swung the door open and a petite woman of around the same age entered the front hall from a side room.</p><p>Ah shit.</p><p>Those dark eyes darkened further and turned distinctly hostile. “Why is he here?” she demanded rudely.</p><p>Anakin blinked for a couple moments. “He needs a place to stay?” It was obvious the vaunted Chosen One had not expected this reception for Qui-Gon.</p><p>“And he who ran me from my home now gets to stay in it?” the former Queen Amidala of Naboo snapped.</p><p>Anakin’s mouth made an ‘o’ expression and turned to Qui-Gon. “You were the one sent to, um…” He trailed off, unsure how to express the situation.</p><p>“Hack the head of the impertinent witch ruling Naboo who dared to say the Emperor was senile and a democratic government should be put in place?” Qui-Gon responded drily. “Yes, that would be me.”</p><p>“Where’s your fuck-toy?” Padme said snidely.</p><p>Anakin, for the first time since Qui-Gon met him, turned stern. “Enough.” The word was spoken firmly but without heat. There was power, though, rolling through the tone that demanded everyone pay attention and rethink their words.</p><p>Qui-Gon decided to head off any further problems. “I’ve seen the light,” he told her with as much earnest apology as he could imbue his voice with. “Literally, as a matter of fact. Allow me this night in your home, Your Majesty, and-“</p><p>“I’m not Queen Amidala any longer,” she interrupted with a bit less hostility. “Just Padme now.” She huffed. “Fine. In case you’re curious, Ahsoka is still playing with the kids outside in the back. They gravitate towards her like glow flies. You,” she pointed imperiously at Anakin, “break up the free-for-all and get them all home. You,” she turned that finger to Qui-Gon, “commune with your former apprentice or whatever. I’ll go make up a bed. Ahsoka stays with Anakin’s mother.”</p><p>With that Padme crossed the hall and went up a set of stairs. Anakin gave Qui-Gon a sheepish look. “She, um, still is a bit sensitive about losing her home planet.”</p><p>Qui-Gon replied honestly, “She has a right to be. I don’t even know where I’m from.”</p><p>“I was a slave on Tatooine,” Anakin said, his voice turning cheerful again. “Master Yoda found me when I was about five. He bought me from my owner but my mother adamantly refused to give me up. So Master Yoda bought her too. As I recall that was a harder bargain. Mom’s a genius with mechanical parts.”</p><p>Padme’s tone drifted down. “You aren’t exactly a slouch either, Skywalker. Move the body, not the mouth, please. It’s well past bedtimes for some people.”</p><p>Anakin ushered Qui-Gon through the cozy home, through a well-used kitchen that invited long conversations at the table over cups of tea, and into the back yard. Qui-Gon stopped dead and his mouth unmoored, hanging down.</p><p>There was his acolyte…no, Ahsoka Tano with children <em>everywhere</em>. Some were gathered round her, listening to her story with wide-eyes. One little girl sitting in Ahsoka’s lap was idly rubbing a pudgy finger up and down the end of one of her montrals. A little boy was chasing the glow flies that Padme had compared the children too. The boy stopped when he saw Anakin and Qui-Gon.</p><p>“Hi, Daddy!” the child called out happily but it was to Qui-Gon that he ran. The tiny thing came to a shuddering halt, stared up at Qui-Gon with wide, knowing eyes that made the former Sith Lord a bit uncomfortable, and then raised his arms in an obvious bid to be picked up.</p><p>Qui-Gon glanced at Anakin, who was watching Qui-Gon with a smirk. The taller man leaned down and picked the child up. “Hello,” he said hesitantly.</p><p>“The green’s nice, ain’t it?” the boy said.</p><p>“The green?” Qui-Gon asked.</p><p>“All over the place,” the boy explained, waving little arms about so enthusiastically he would have toppled out of Qui-Gon’s arms if the big man hadn’t firmed his hold.</p><p>“He means the plants and such,” Anakin explained. “Luke’s pretty strong in the Living Force like you.”</p><p>Qui-Gon blinked. “Wait. This is <em>your</em> child?” he asked incredulously.</p><p>Anakin ruffled the boy’s hair, causing young Luke to giggle. “Him and the girl currently trying to get Ahsoka to tell scarier stories than she should.” He motioned to the girl on Ahsoka’s lap.</p><p>Qui-Gon was completely taken aback. “You <em>breed</em>?” he said incredulously.</p><p>“Why do they <em>all</em> say that?” demanded an exasperated voice in the shadows of the yard to Qui-Gon’s left. A dark-skinned man and a pale, greyish skinned female emerged. The man looked pained and the woman amused.</p><p>“And they use the same phrase,” the woman noted. “Every single one of them.”</p><p>“Who?” Qui-Gon asked, confused.</p><p>“Every blasted former Sith Lord Anakin has brought to this planet,” the man replied. “The Sith do understand that sex is more than just for pleasure but to create more people? Procreation? Reproduction?”</p><p>Anakin laughed at Qui-Gon’s nonplussed expression. “We hear this a lot. It <em>is</em> getting kind of old.”</p><p>The two strangers rolled their eyes in unison. The woman nudged the man. “Get your children, Mace. It’s long past everyone’s bedtime and we still have to give them a bath.”</p><p>“Yes, dear,” the man named Mace said obediently and then he put two fingers into his mouth to produce an ear-splitting whistle. Three children peeled from the group around Ahsoka and converged on their parents.</p><p>The woman rolled her eyes. “They aren’t nerfs, we gave them names for a reason,” she groused.</p><p>“Yes, oh mighty Asajj,” drawled Mace with a smirk.</p><p>“Stuff it, Windu,” she grumbled, herding children out of the circle of light illuminating the backyard in the now-settled darkness.</p><p>The man Mace turned his full attention to Qui-Gon, who straightened up, Luke still in his arms. “So, Sith Lord of the Inner Circle, no less.”</p><p>“Yes,” Qui-Gon acknowledged.</p><p>“Got a couple of those already,” Windu noted.</p><p>“Actually,” Qui-Gon noted, “no. Up and comers, yes, but not from the inner circle.”</p><p>Windu hiked an eyebrow and looked at Anakin. “I thought this one came as a set? Where’s the other one?”</p><p>Anakin’s expression turned grave, as he knew a bit of Qui-Gon’s fears regarding Obi-Wan’s well-being. “We tried to find him but by the time we got Qui-Gon stabilized and coherent, Lord Kenobi had been spirited away by his troops. To us, he’s in the wind.”</p><p>Windu turned back to Qui-Gon. “No bond?”</p><p>“I can’t feel the bond anymore. I couldn’t feel the bond with Ahsoka when you turned her. I thought her dead,” he confessed begrudgingly.</p><p>“An unexpected side effect,” Anakin ruminated. His focus shifted when his daughter appeared at his side. “Hey, Princess,” he greeted, picking his daughter up and pecking her a kiss on the cheek. “This is Qui-Gon Jinn. He’s like Ahsoka was.”</p><p>Qui-Gon, though, wasn’t paying attention. Ahsoka was approaching the group of them, her pace slow, eyes no longer the golden yellow of a Sith but a pleasing light blue or maybe gray. It was hard to tell in the dim light. He hadn’t the nerve to look in a mirror to see his own eye color as of yet.</p><p>“Hello, Qui-Gon,” she said respectfully if cautiously.</p><p>Qui-Gon dumped Luke unceremoniously into Windu’s arms and swept her into a hug, overcome with relief and joy that she was safe and unharmed. “Oh, my girl,” he choked out. “I was so scared, so angry. I thought you were dead. That you’d be stolen from me, from life, at so young an age.”</p><p>Her body was stiff for a moment and then relaxed, her wiry arms wrapping around him as well. “I missed you too, Master,” she managed to say. She then pulled back and tipped his chin down so she could see his face better. “Those are a really awesome shade of blue eyes you got there, Master.”</p><p>He closed those eyes in relief. Blue.</p><p>Everyone stood in silent tableau until Padme’s voice called from the house and Mace patted Qui-Gon on the back in a bid of offered friendship before taking his leave. With Ahsoka promising to come by tomorrow right after first meal, she headed into the darkness as well. Anakin led Qui-Gon up to what he called “the guest bedroom”. It was homey and nice. A bit of Ahsoka was there in the Force, telling Qui-Gon she’d slept here on occasion.</p><p>Finally left alone, Qui-Gon lay in the bed, his feet hanging off the edge, and stretched out the Force desperately for Obi-Wan. He focused intently on everything about Obi-Wan he loved… eyes, mouth, body, wit, power…but found that all of those were tainted by the darkness their lives had been mired in. If he could <em>get</em> to Obi-Wan before the younger man did something stupid, he and Anakin could flip him and those things that made Obi-Wan unattractive to Qui-Gon now would be converted into what he liked once more.</p><p>Qui-Gon fell asleep, certain this was the course he must take.</p><hr/><p>The Emperor’s rage was nothing compared to Obi-Wan’s and the senile old fool sensed it. After a mild rebuke, the oily tones of his Sith leader oozed through the comm line.</p><p>“And what are your plans, Kenobi?”</p><p>“The coward will sneak around no more, taking us out one by one, tricking us with whatever means he has. He will face me or we will start making,” he paused for effect long enough that the Emperor’s mouth opened to demand he continue, “a point,” he finished.</p><p>“Point?”</p><p>“There’s not much left of Mandalore…again,” Obi-Wan said ruthlessly. “I need a planet we won’t miss much. I also want full access to the Death Star.”</p><p>The Emperor actually blinked. “The Death Star is…” The old man’s voice trailed off. “It <em>is</em> operational,” the Sith Master conceded, “but the fools who were in charge of its construction are ones that fell before this Chosen One.”</p><p>Obi-Wan gave a draigon’s grin. “I only need it to work once. But I want the simulation footage of its capacity for destruction. That will be in my message. The threat of using it on an entire planet should bring this coward out from whatever rock he lives under.”</p><p>Again, the Emperor hesitated.</p><p>“Let me put it this way, Sire,” Obi-Wan said with just a hint of snideness. “Give me what I want or I tell this Chosen One <em>exactly</em> where and how to find you. Then I’ll just pick up the reigns of the Empire once he’s done with you and rule it myself. How good do you think you are?”</p><p>The Emperor’s gray, pasty face suffused with what was probably red but it was hard to discern in the blue-tinge of the holo vid. “You overstep yourself, Lord Kenobi,” he snapped.</p><p>“You’re a senile, old fool and have been for at least a decade or more,” countered Obi-Wan with absolutely no respect. “You are a bigger coward than this Chosen One. Give me the damned access to the Death Star and get the hell out of my way. I’ll do what you are too terrified to do yourself.” Obi-Wan leaned in and added, “And once the Chosen One is taken care of, I might come for <em>you</em>.” He hit the disconnect button and waited.</p><p>In less than two minutes the full coordinates and administrative credentials to the Death Star was remoted to him. Obi-Wan Kenobi, Sith Lord, former Acolyte to the fallen Qui-Gon Jinn, now controlled the greatest weapon in the galaxy. Whether he was going to use it depended entirely on this infernal Chosen One.</p><p>This would take time and planning. Obi-Wan would need to review the schematics and verify that it was functionable. Nothing could be left to chance.</p><p>Obi-Wan reached out into the Force once more, hoping against hope he would feel Qui-Gon reaching back but the Dark was just that: dark, empty, painful. He remembered telling Qui-Gon that if the elder Sith fell, he wouldn’t want to live. Obi-Wan couldn’t call this living but vengeance would be sweet. Everyone, from the Chosen One to the Emperor, was going to suffer for Obi-Wan’s heartbreak and emotional pain.</p><p>The Chosen One prophecy, however, had a point, Obi-Wan decided. There were way too many damned Sith. He should let this prophetic hammer of death keep culling the herd. When there was but Obi-Wan and the Emperor left, Obi-Wan would kill them both.</p><p>He called to the bridge of his ship. “Head for Alderaan. Dock in the large spherical ship in orbit using these credentials. Let me know when we arrive.” He forwarded the required credentialing. He went to his large, empty, cold bunk and tried to settle into sleep.</p><p>Tears slipped down Obi-Wan’s cheeks as slumber eluded him. He’d wasted he and Qui-Gon’s last sexual encounter with drugs that had kept him emotionally distant. The longing for Qui-Gon’s strong arms around him at night, the slight snoring the man gave because of a nose broken long ago, or the gentle teasing Qui-Gon delivered to both Obi-Wan and Ahsoka that belied the man’s innate ruthlessness and viciousness had Obi-Wan burying his face in the pillow to drown out the wrecking sobs he couldn’t stop.</p><p>He missed Qui-Gon so much!</p><p>Anguished fury spurred him from bed and back to the comm unit on the desk. He loaded up the video projections of the Death Star’s efficacy into a galaxy-wide broadcast. The holo vid showing the simulation of the Death Star’s ability was set to loop and he projected his face into a corner of the transmission.</p><p>“To the rebellion and their so-called Chosen One. <em>This</em> is the fate of Naboo if you do not meet me in the field of battle, one on one, where <em>I</em> choose, not where you’ll ambush me. You have exactly three Standard days to respond that you will do so. If not, Naboo will be a real-life example of this holo-simulation. To the people of the Galaxy hoping the Chosen One will aid you, you hang your hopes on a coward. You will see, the Sith will rule for all time. Learn to live with it and you’ll come out the better for it.”</p><p>He abruptly cut the recording, reviewed it, found it just as brutal as he wanted, and sent it out into the broadcast streams. Soon it would be circulating from planet to planet. Obi-Wan had no faith this Chosen One would meet him in honorable combat and snidely wondered if this gave Naboo enough warning to start their personal funerial rites. Idly he wondered why he chose Naboo at such random and then dismissed it as unimportant. One trash planet was as good as another.</p><p>Naboo was no big loss.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Chapter title is a Greek proverb, undetermined source.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Obi-Wan realizes that all is not as it seems...literally.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The assembled Jedi and turned Sith Lords watched in mute horror at the replay of the mock-up Death Star destroying a simulated planet. As the brown sphere dissipated into space dust, it looped back to the man-made globe ship approached the planet once more, a beam of light erupted from its center, and the planet blew up all over again. Several Jedi were staring at the turned Sith in disapproval, dismay, or accusation. Guilt slimed the Force from almost all the newly turned Force users.</p>
<p>Mace Windu made an audible swallowing noise and managed to say in a steady voice, “Is this even possible?”</p>
<p>Qui-Gon was forced to answer. “Yes. Very much so. I was not involved,” he turned to Eeth Koth, “but I think Eeth was an overseer of the plan?”</p>
<p>Eeth’s yellowish skin was sallower than usual. “Per my last known information on the Death Star’s construction, it might be able to manage one or two attacks of this nature.”</p>
<p>The occupants of the communication room were deathly silent at that. A terse, tense feminine voice spoke up, “We have to get to Kenobi before the deadline.”</p>
<p>Anakin, standing beside Qui-Gon, turned around to face his wife. “I plan to contact him,” he assured her in a tight voice. The young man’s normal aplomb was strained, the skin around his mouth and eyes taut, and his eyes were a deadly ice-blue. Anakin turned back to Qui-Gon. “You know Lord Kenobi best,” he noted grimly but not accusingly. “I welcome suggestions on handling the situation. I presume you would prefer I <em>not</em> kill him?”</p>
<p>Qui-Gon’s eyes skewed around the room, looking for assistance but the former Sith avoided his gaze and the Jedi present stared at him expectantly. “I would prefer Obi-Wan alive, yes.” He pondered a moment. “Since he has demanded the battleground as his choosing, we cannot plan more. However,” he noted drily, “I have an idea of where he will choose the field of combat.”</p>
<p>A few eyebrows raised, including Anakin’s, but the young man looked down to Master Yoda, whose eyes were slitted closed in deep contemplation. “Learn all we must about this Death Star from our new comrades,” came the official pronouncement. “Once Skywalker given place of battle, plan he and Master Jinn will how to either turn or destroy Lord Kenobi.” Yoda’s green eyes opened wide and looked at Qui-Gon squarely. “If Lord Kenobi is beyond redemption, death must come to him.”</p>
<p>Qui-Gon tried to swallow and the lump of resigned horror in his throat stuck there. He turned away, heart heavy and stomach roiling. He did note the saddened addition from the aged master. “Sorry we will be if happens that does.” Qui-Gon nodded but couldn’t respond verbally.</p>
<p>Anakin’s hand was light on his shoulder, which offered comfort in the Light pulsing soothingly from the younger man. “I agree with Master Yoda. I will respond and we’ll go from there.”</p>
<p>The assembly murmured assent and everyone broke into groups, congregating around the former Sith Lords to gather all the information that could be gotten. Qui-Gon stood alone, like an unmoored boat, until Anakin waved him over to the long-transmission comm unit.</p>
<p>“Do you want to appear on the holo with me?” Anakin asked kindly.</p>
<p>Qui-Gon pondered for a moment what Obi-Wan’s potential reaction would be and shook his head. “No. The prevailing theory among the Sith is that you are killing us, not converting us. If we change that perception, you will no longer have that unintended advantage. However, I will join you when you confront Obi-Wan. Together, perhaps, we can overcome his need for vengeance and the fury that accompanies it.”</p>
<p>Anakin nodded, moved Qui-Gon out of the recording range, and triggered the comm unit. It took a moment for the playback image to coalesce for immediate send-out. Anakin took the time to compose himself and placed a small, meaningful smile that Qui-Gon knew would drive Obi-Wan, and the Emperor, up the wall in outrage.</p>
<p>“Greetings, Sith Lord Obi-Wan Kenobi and the galaxy at large. Your message, Lord Kenobi, has been received and understood. I accept your challenge. I defend the rights and freedoms of all people in the galaxy and beyond, as is my and the Light’s purpose. You may send the coordinates of our meeting to the accompanying personal attached frequency.”</p>
<p>Qui-Gon fully anticipated Anakin to cut the transmission but instead Anakin’s eyes turned sorrowful. “I am sorry for your pain, Lord Kenobi. Know that it was unintentional. I never seek to harm anyone, but merely to bring balance to the Force and peace to the galaxy. I am no stranger to pain, uncertainty, and even anger. It is how you rise above it that makes the difference between us. I let it go, while you embrace it and allow it to twist you. Please, do not destroy Naboo until we have met. I promise, you will understand better what is to come. Anakin Skywalker out.”</p>
<p>Qui-Gon stared at Skywalker in astonishment. “You’ve never given your name before,” he said in a hushed tone.</p>
<p>Anakin gave a wry smile. “It won’t mean anything to them,” he replied. “I have no father, born of the Force. My mother was a slave on Tatooine. We are nobodies and I can guarantee the Empire has no information on either me or my mother.” His expression turned thoughtful. “There is something about this confrontation that is different from all the others that have come before. I don’t know why Kenobi is a linchpin but he is.” Anakin gave a small laugh. “I feel it is only fair that my enemy know who he or she faces.”</p>
<p>“I doubt Obi-Wan will give you a chance for proper introductions as when we met,” Qui-Gon added. “And I fear you are correct. This feels like the move before a final gambit in this powerplay for the fate of the galaxy.”</p>
<p>Anakin nodded. “The frequency feeds through a very complicated labyrinth before arriving at my home’s comm unit. When he communicates, I’ll tell you. We can plan from there.” The Chosen One went to walk away and then paused, half-turning back to Qui-Gon. “You said you thought you knew where he might want to meet. Where?”</p>
<p>“Mustafar.”</p>
<p>Anakin tipped his head to one side. “Isn’t that a planet of volcanoes and fire?”</p>
<p>Qui-Gon nodded. “It also houses a Sith stronghold from centuries ago. A Force-sensitive named Lady Corvax tried to resurrect her dead husband using an artifact called the Bright Star. Instead she destroyed the planet and the result slowly mutated the native populace into two subspecies. It is a harsh and cruel planet, death almost everywhere you turn.”</p>
<p>Anakin frowned. “So why choose it?”</p>
<p>Qui-Gon swiped a hand down his face in agitation. “Because Obi-Wan rebuilt the fortress there. He,” and here Qui-Gon’s voice faltered. “He said the landscape speaks to him.”</p>
<p>Anakin expression turned troubled. “Well, that is not exactly commendable, for Kenobi or the planet.”</p>
<p>“I know.”</p>
<p>“Well, we shall see then.” Anakin’s tone turned false-cheerful and he walked away, leaving Qui-Gon alone, troubled with his thoughts and wishing to all the stars above that he could just reach Obi-Wan in the Force.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Obi-Wan was vibrating in excitement and a palpable sense of Destiny. The capital D seemed appropriate in his thoughts. Despite the empty maw inside him with Qui-Gon’s loss, he knew there would be some small compensation, some small release of the pain with this thrice-damned Chosen One’s swift demise.</p>
<p>He turned to Cody as their sensors indicated the presence of a ship breaking atmosphere, heading for the assigned coordinates. “When you see my ‘saber ignite, shoot. I can take care of myself. I want every blaster bolt, every explosive blast, every bit of fire power on that piece of Light garbage.”</p>
<p>Cody, faceless in the helmet like all his brethren, saluted. “Yes, Lord Kenobi.”</p>
<p>Obi-Wan made a wave of dismissal and ignored the trooper as he marched away to issue the orders. The Sith Lord watched with fiery yellow-sun eyes as a surprising small ship landed a small distance away from him. Obi-Wan’s fortress loomed in the distance, which was the point. He didn’t want it to <em>seem</em> like the trap it was.</p>
<p>He concentrated, making sure his entire troop divisions were masked in the Force, all but invisible to the naked eye and a Force-sensitive’s perusal. He took out his binocs and zoomed in on the ship. A slender young human male exited and he looked like the infuriating skalworm he undoubtedly was: clean-cut, swaggering with arrogance, and thinking he was some messiah of the galaxy.</p>
<p>Obi-Wan took a deep breath and began his own walk toward the halfway point. He’d already carved out of the hard-packed ash a fighting circle. He had no intention of actually staying in it, but this Skywalker didn’t need to know that. Something was wrong, though, as step by step he came closer to the position and this Chosen One.</p>
<p>Anakin Skywalker stopped just at the edge of his side of the circle and Obi-Wan did the same, head swiveling about as he tried to figure out what was causing that itch between his shoulder blades. If Obi-Wan didn’t know better, it seemed as if <em>he</em> walked into a trap, not Skywalker.</p>
<p>The blond man hooked both thumbs into his belt in a lazy fashion, but Obi-Wan noted his right hand wasn’t far from the gleaming saber hilt hanging there. Obi-Wan took in a deep breath of hellscape air and made a mocking bow to his opponent. His nerves continued to jangle a warning.</p>
<p>“So,” he said snidely straightening from his bend, “you are The Chosen One.”</p>
<p>“Yes.” Skywalker looked around with interest, taking in the bleak landscape. “I must say, using this location as a battle to the death is a bit,” and here Skywalker gave Obi-Wan a chuckle, “stereotypical.”</p>
<p>“You didn’t think I was actually going to fight you on <em>your</em> terms, did you?” Obi-Wan raised a coy eyebrow.</p>
<p>Skywalker actually laughed at that. “Well, no,” he admitted, “but you are also under the impression that I planned on fighting fair.”</p>
<p>It was a gambit tossed in front of Obi-Wan, mocking him, poking fun at all he, and Qui-Gon and so many others, stood for. Obi-Wan’s hand flashed to his saber hilt, but it detached from his belt and flew through the air.</p>
<p>But not to Skywalker.</p>
<p>Qui-Gon’s hand closed around the hilt and he stood soberly in the empty space that previous had been next to Skywalker. “This is not the way, Obi-Wan,” the spectre said calmly.</p>
<p>Obi-Wan’s jaw unmoored and hung open in astonishment. He took an involuntary step forward and outstretched his hand. He made a small whimpering noise deep in his throat and his vision blurred with tears. “Qui-Gon?” he whispered.</p>
<p>The name carried on the brimstone breeze to the other two. Qui-Gon gave him a small, but adoring smile, one Obi-Wan remembered oh so well. “Yes, my love.”</p>
<p>Red suffused Obi-Wan’s vision, drying the tears instantly. “What are you waiting for?” he shouted. “<em>Kill him!</em>” He gestured to Skywalker. “End this! Now! We will kill that senile moron who passes as the Dark Lord of the Sith and rule as you said we would!”</p>
<p>Qui-Gon’s expression turned sorrowful. “No.”</p>
<p>Obi-Wan couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “No?” he repeated stupidly. Then realization bloomed in his mind and he turned on Qui-Gon’s youthful companion like a nexu. “You starforsaken son of a Hutt!” he spat. “Did you seduce him? Brainwash him with your foul Light Sider ways? I’ll tear your guts out and feed them to a rancor!”</p>
<p>Anakin’s clear blue eyes sluiced to Qui-Gon, whose own blue eyes blazed with fire. Obi-Wan was about to open his mouth to spit more invectives at the two when the fact that Qui-Gon had <em>blue eyes</em> arrested his attention.</p>
<p>“Blue,” he said in alarm and backpedaled four steps in alarm. “Your eyes are blue.”</p>
<p>The angry blaze within those eyes banked and Qui-Gon slowly stepped towards Obi-Wan, hand without the saber outstretched, beckoning. “My love,” he exclaimed earnestly, “it’s not what you think. I am not brainwashed, nor is Anakin my lover. I love <em>you</em>, Obi-Wan Kenobi, even though we now sit on opposite ends of the Force.” Qui-Gon got within arms reach and his hand lightly caressed Obi-Wan’s bearded cheek. “Feel me for the first time since all those weeks ago. Understand the difference, see that I am better, happier, more content, and <em>free</em>. We were always told, since we were younglings brutalized at the Academy, that the Dark Side makes us free. It doesn’t, Obi-Wan, it never has. It made <em>us</em> slaves, not those we subjugated.”</p>
<p>Obi-Wan swallowed, unable to resist leaning into that touch, the feel of Qui-Gon’s calloused palm and the warmth of his skin. His golden eyes snapped open in alarm and he took another two steps away. “No!” he shouted. “Shoot them!” he screamed at the nearby troopers he was masking in the Force.</p>
<p>No shots were fired. The area was calm, almost peaceful, despite Obi-Wan’s own inner turmoil.</p>
<p>“They can’t hear you,” Skywalker reported calmly. “You aren’t the only one with Force tricks.”</p>
<p>“Obi-Wan,” Qui-Gon pleaded softly. “Let Anakin free you. Let him help you let go of the pain, the anger, the misery.” Obi-Wan stubbornly shook his head but was unable to break eye contact with Qui-Gon’s deep oceanic blue gaze. Qui-Gon closed the gap between them once more and drew a frozen Obi-Wan into one of his enveloping hugs. “Obi-Wan, don’t you wonder what beautiful color of eyes <em>you</em> have?”</p>
<p>Unbidden, a memory surfaced, taking over Obi-Wan’s mind. He was in the Academy creche, a creche master mocking him because his eyes had not turned. That he was weak because of it. That he would never be a great Sith Lord but a dreg, refuse to be scuttled from a ship when it got full. He remembered running, crying and shouting denials, to the fresher for his Clan’s use. He had slammed the door closed with a not-very controlled use of the Force and stared forlornly in the mirror there.</p>
<p>Staring at his face, into the green-blue eyes reflected in the mirror. And watching the earthy color leach away into a golden hue. Feeling triumphant, he had exited the fresher and sneered at his creche master about his transformation.</p>
<p>And the beating he got for his insolence.</p>
<p>And all the beatings he got after that. The humiliations, piled one on top of the other. The creche mates he killed or maimed to get to the top, to get the attention of a powerful Sith Lord who would finish his training.</p>
<p>Shuddering gasps wracked his body. Bant Eerin. She had been a beautiful Mon Calamarian girl. Insightful. Oddly friendly and concerned for her creche mates well-being.  Was it he who killed her? Or was it Garen? No, it was Obi-Wan that snapped her neck one night as she slumbered, unaware of the danger that was supposed to be sleeping in the bed next to her.</p>
<p>He got extra rations for a month in reward for “culling the dreg”.</p>
<p>Memory upon memory cycled with cruel clarity through his mind. The bodies piling up, the blood he was awash in. Blood he’d taken pride in shedding. He heard murmurs beyond his awareness but clutched at Qui-Gon, the man who had been his lifeline since he was thirteen years old. Once a teacher, then a strangely trusted companion, and finally a passionate lover, Qui-Gon’s previous wrongness was starting to feel…right.</p>
<p>Obi-Wan came back to himself, curled in Qui-Gon’s lap, held tightly by the man he loved more than anything. Qui-Gon tipped Obi-Wan’s tear-streaked face so he could see better.</p>
<p>“There you are,” Qui-Gon said, joy and relief tidal-waving over Obi-Wan in the Force. “My changeling-eyed love.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I am a firm believer in Obi-Wan having changeable hazel eyes. FIGHT ME! If I can, he can too!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Obi-Wan gets introduced to everyone, discourse about lightsabers happen, and a smutty but private reunion.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Qui-Gon kept his heavy presence behind Obi-Wan, all but pushing the younger man forward as he gaped at the planet around him. Qui-Gon could sympathize but they were now pressed for time. This was no time to gawk.</p><p>“It’s…” Words apparently failed Obi-Wan, which made Qui-Gon grin.</p><p>“Bright,” he supplied.</p><p>Obi-Wan’s nodded so enthusiastically Qui-Gon was surprised his head remained on his neck. “The entire planet-“ Obi-Wan began but Qui-Gon gave him an affectionate push.</p><p>“Wax poetic later,” he said mock-sternly. “Your confrontational stunt has pretty much put us on a deadline.” When Obi-Wan looked questioningly over his shoulder at Qui-Gon, the older man noted, “You really don’t think the Emperor is going to <em>not</em> notice when you go missing, presumed dead? For all intents and purposes, you were the last extremely powerful of the Inner Circle. The others, you have to admit, are nothing but yes-men and sycophants. Good at backstabbing but not actual ass-kicking.”</p><p>Skywalker’s voice piped up behind them, spurring them further onto the planet’s surface. “And the fact that you chose Naboo as a target and that Death Star is currently in orbit around my wife’s home planet isn’t going to win you any points with her.”</p><p>Obi-Wan frowned at that. “I don’t understand.”</p><p>Qui-Gon enlightened him as they walked toward the huge building that stood as the headquarters. “Do you recall Queen Amidala?” Obi-Wan nodded, still frowning. “She disappeared suddenly and we couldn’t find her anywhere?” Again Obi-Wan nodded, his frown deepening. “Skywalker rescued her and then married her.”</p><p>That made Obi-Wan blink and turn to look at a grinning Skywalker, who merely shrugged. “I like them highly intelligent and feisty,” he said.</p><p>Obi-Wan rolled his eyes. “Whatever.” He turned the conversation back to its previous topic. “You are correct, we need to strike and soon. I, er, may have threatened the Emperor with killing him after I took care of the Chosen One.”</p><p>Qui-Gon sighed in exasperation and rubbed a hand down his face. “Obi-Wan,” he groaned. “You never do things by halves.”</p><p>Windu had approached and fell in with the newly returned group. He piped up with, “And that means what?”</p><p>Qui-Gon scowled. “The Emperor has been a paranoid lunatic for some time. If Obi-Wan has been killed, at least to the Emperor’s understanding, he’s going to presume he’s next on the list. His fortress on Coruscant will be bristling with troops and Imperial elite guards. He will also likely bring in the Inquisitors.”</p><p>“Thus damned near impossible to get to,” concluded Windu with a small frown. “I’m Master Mace Windu,” he introduced when Obi-Wan stared unabashedly at him. As they approached the headquarters, Master Yoda stepped into the sunshine. Obi-Wan’s curiosity grew and Qui-Gon understood why. They’d never seen a being like Master Yoda before. “And this is Master Yoda,” Mace continued, stepping into the building’s shadowed foyer. “Don’t tick him off. He’ll wipe the floor with you.”</p><p>“Size matters not,” Yoda replied placidly. “Pleased I am, Master Kenobi, that saved you have been. Most upset Master Jinn would have been if killed you we were forced to do.”</p><p>Obi-Wan slid his beautiful eyes to Qui-Gon, who merely winked playfully at him. “Bow to the revered master, Obi-Wan. I do recall teaching you some manners.” Qui-Gon bowed himself, to offer a good example. Obi-Wan followed suit.</p><p>“Ignite saber you both will,” commanded Yoda mildly.</p><p>The two former Sith exchanged surprised looks. Qui-Gon knew his was a green blade, having sparred with both Skywalker and Windu since arriving on Dathomir. He did so readily and was pleased when Obi-Wan looked impressed with the emerald laser beam.</p><p>Obi-Wan’s hand shook slightly as he lifted his hilt from his belt. The younger man took a deep breath and hit the power button. A bluish-lavender blade shot forth, humming serenely.</p><p>Yoda grunted and turned away without a word. Obi-Wan gave Qui-Gon a questioning look and the older man shrugged. “Master Yoda is most enigmatic,” was all he could say.</p><p>Obi-Wan considered his blade thoughtfully. “We created our red blades by corrupting a crystal. Does the Light do the same?”</p><p>“No,” came Master Yoda’s from within the building as they heard him slowly tap-tap his way in deeper. “Crystal responds to Jedi’s soul.”</p><p>The two former Sith followed inside. “Do the colors mean anything?” Obi-Wan pressed the ancient being.</p><p>“Once, yes,” Yoda admitted when they easily caught up to him. “Different roles attached to the color. Many many colors were there. Yellow, blue, green, orange, pink, purple…so many colors. After time, blue and green became standard but not always typical.”</p><p>“What color is yours, Master Yoda?” Qui-Gon asked curiously.</p><p>In answer, Yoda pulled his small hilt out from beneath well-worn robes. A green blade, short like it’s wielder but obviously no less deadly than any other, burst forth. Qui-Gon ignited his once more and compared the colors.</p><p>“Mine is more emerald than yours,” he noted thoughtfully.</p><p>“Strong in the Living Force are you,” Yoda grunted. “Stands to reason, it does.”</p><p>“Let’s get this show on the road!” called Windu’s voice from the star map room. “We’ve got an Empire to topple.”</p><hr/><p>Obi-Wan walked down the paved avenue side by side with Qui-Gon, strangely at peace with everything. They had been gruelingly making plans on the Emperor’s downfall for hours, younglings and teens bringing in food and drink to sustain the plotters. They had landed on Dathomir in the morning and it was well past dark now.</p><p>Four moons hung in the dark blanket that was the nighttime sky in various locations, giving differing glows of color on the landscape around them. The planet thrummed with life and the Light, making Obi-Wan feel giddy. And horny.</p><p>Qui-Gon’s big, left hand slid down Obi-Wan’s arm and clasped his right hand, giving it an affectionate squeeze. Qui-Gon paused at the door of a respectable-looking two-story home. A couple of lights blazing within told Obi-Wan someone was home and waiting up, probably for them.</p><p>“We will meet the lady of the house,” Qui-Gon murmured in Obi-Wan’s ear, his breath and beard tickling that protrusion deliciously. “And then I know where we can go for some privacy.”</p><p>This made Obi-Wan positively <em>yearn</em> but he nodded with game aplomb. He knew the lady of house was undoubtedly the fearsome Queen Amidala, late of Naboo. Which meant he had an earned rebuke coming.</p><p>“Oh, get in here,” grumbled a stern feminine voice. “I don’t bite.”</p><p>“Much!” came Skywalker’s cheerful rejoinder.</p><p>Obi-Wan stepped inside the house and faced the draigon within. The dark-haired, petite beauty was not the Queen Amidala he remembered, face done in elaborate ceremonial makeup and robes or gowns of rich fabrics and hues. This woman was dressed genteelly and honestly looked like she was a lot more comfortable.</p><p>“I’m Padmé,” she told him. “Mention the words ‘Queen Amidala’ and you’re sleeping with the baz nitches.”</p><p>Obi-Wan tried not to swallow audibly and gave her a deep respectful bow. “I honor my hostess’ wishes.”</p><p>“What do you plan to do with the planet killing globe you have orbiting my home planet?” she asked, less tersely than he probably deserved.</p><p>Everyone stopped. Eyes turned to Obi-Wan. “I plan on sending it to deep space and detonating it. <em>After</em> the Emperor is dead,” he added.</p><p>“We’re thinking to use it as a last resort on Coruscant,” Skywalker finished a tad morosely. Padmé’s lips pressed together in a tight moue of disapproval. “I know. None of us like it, my love, but it is a <em>last resort</em>.” Skywalker stressed the last two words. “If it looks as if we will fail, all of us have the codes to access the Death Star and know how to set it to its deadly purpose.”</p><p>Qui-Gon kept hold of Obi-Wan’s hand. “We figure having it in orbit around Coruscant will put the fear of all the gods of the universe in more than a few flunkies in the Emperor’s entourage.” When she hiked an inquiring eyebrow at that, Qui-Gon added, “They are all cowards. They’ll flee like rats on a sinking ship.”</p><p>Padmé gave a sigh and shrugged. “We do what we must, no matter how distasteful sometimes,” she admitted solemnly. She gave a pointed look at their clasped hands. “If you plan on an attack run on an exhaust port, do not do it in the house. I’d rather you don’t wake the children.” She gave a surprising, teasing grin. “Unless you think you can be quiet?”</p><p>Obi-Wan blinked and blurted out, “You have children? As in you procreated?”</p><p>Anakin and Padmé both sighed this time. “Well, at least you didn’t say ‘you breed’ like everyone else,” the Chosen One said drily. “And for the four millionth time, yes, we have children, yes, we had and have sex for more than just pleasure. I like children. Padmé likes children. Children are the future of everyone.”</p><p>Padmé rolled her eyes. “Go to bed everyone. We’ll see you in the morning. Qui-Gon, you know where the blankets are. It gets chilly in the early mornings this time of year. Take a few.” With a dismissive wave, the Skywalker matron followed her husband up the stairs, leaving Obi-Wan staring bemusedly after them.</p><p>Qui-Gon collected an armful of blankets and ushered Obi-Wan out a back door into a large, well-kept yard. A small cottage of some sort was at the edge of the kept-lawn and it was there Qui-Gon led him.</p><p>Obi-Wan stepped within and was overwhelmed by the hint of femininity that was clearly Padmé’s influence. A small bench attached to one wall held various implements for gardening or mechanical tinkering. A small, overstuffed chair was pushed into a far corner, well-worn and very comfortable looking. A computer terminal, turned off, sat on a desk in another corner, in front of a window that looked out over the yard, no doubt so the mother could watch over her children while she did work and they played. When Obi-Wan turned away from his cataloging of the little cottage it was to find that Qui-Gon had made them a nest of blankets on the floor’s area rug.</p><p>Qui-Gon was on his knees and, even though there was little light, Obi-Wan fancied that the other man’s eyes glowed bright like Obi-Wan’s new saber blade. A hand stretched out, beckoning, and Obi-Wan was drawn to his love involuntarily.</p><p>They undressed, silent but for the sound of gentle kisses on exposed skin. Once naked, Qui-Gon pressed Obi-Wan onto the pile of blankets and held him tight enough that Obi-Wan was afraid Qui-Gon was going to suffocate him.</p><p>“I was afraid you had done what you promised you would do, should I die,” Qui-Gon said in a tone of near-dread.</p><p>“I couldn’t,” Obi-Wan confessed. “After Cody and the others got me onboard <em>The Battle Ground</em>, I held my saber to my chest for several long hours, trying to work up the nerve to press the button. I longed to, but something told me not too.”</p><p>Qui-Gon gave a sigh of relief. “I thank the Force for that, whichever stayed your hand, then.”</p><p>“The Light Side is so strange,” Obi-Wan mused, opening his hand and forming a small ball of pure light in his palm. “It’s appropriately named,” he added. “I feel light inside. You were right, on Mustafar. Free.”</p><p>“Yes, I as well,” Qui-Gon noted, brushing his nose through Obi-Wan’s hair around his ear. “But we’re here, now, for another purpose.”</p><p>Obi-Wan felt a bit of mischief. “I hope you brought the lube!” he quipped. His ass got pinched for that bit of insolence, but he didn’t mind.</p><p>Exploring Qui-Gon’s body as a Light Sider was heady. Obi-Wan didn’t need intoxicants or stimulants to feel drunk. His nerves were heightened and he couldn’t stop the moans of delight as Qui-Gon equally explored him.</p><p>When Qui-Gon entered Obi-Wan so slowly the younger man thought his head would explode, he wrapped his legs around Qui-Gon’s waist to urge the older man into not being so reticent. Qui-Gon took the hint, sort of. His thrusts were languorous, the pressure building between them both as it seemed it never had done when they embraced the Dark.</p><p>Obi-Wan scrabbled at Qui-Gon’s shoulders and Qui-Gon wrapped a fist around his cock. A couple of twists and pulls and Obi-Wan was crying out his release. The sparkles behind his closed eyelids seemed like a polar aurora mixed with a multitude of stars. Qui-Gon came not long after, a few quick thrusts of his ejaculation, and a whispered, “O-Obi-Wan, m-my love.”</p><p>As they began to drift into post-coital slumber, Obi-Wan used his new Force ability to tugged some blankets from beneath them and cover them up. Padmé had said it got chilly and he never wanted to lose this warmth.</p><p>Ever.</p><hr/><p>The non-Force using inhabitants of Dathomir and those who were too young to accompany the small army watched with anxious trepidation two weeks later as a small fleet of ships, led by Skywalker’s <em>The Negotiator</em> rose into the sky and zipped into space. Hyperdrives were engaged, their target destination the Core worlds.</p><p>More specifically Coruscant and the Emperor’s stronghold.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Per Wookiepedia, a baz nitch is apparently some sort of herd animal a la Star Wars, like a deer or elk or reindeer. (shrug) I just write what there is, people.</p><p>Oh, and A RECKONING IS COMING, LORD SIDIOUS! BETTER WATCH YOUR SIX...SEVEN...TWELVE...NINE. Just everywhere really.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Who will triumph: Light or Dark? If you don't know the answer, you haven't been paying attention. ;)</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The traffic airstreams were empty. Qui-Gon looked out the viewport with no small amount dismay and alarm. The entire planet felt like it was holding its breath. As <em>The Negotiator</em> and their other ships holding Jedi, turned Sith Lords and everyone’s clone troopers, landed on the main Imperial landing pad, Qui-Gon had a palpable desire to run as far and as fast as he possibly could.</p>
<p>“The question is, did the inhabitants who could leave, leave, or is everyone cowering behind closed and locked doors?” Obi-Wan asked from his position at Qui-Gon’s side. His voice held the apprehension Qui-Gon was feeling.</p>
<p>“A few dozen air buses would be convenient right now.” They turned to look at Anakin, who was staring in fascination at the city-scape that was Coruscant. “I’ve heard of them,” the young man confessed. “Never actually seen one in person. Never seen so many buildings in my life, either.”</p>
<p>Master Yoda grunted. “Once full of the Living Force was Coruscant. Now a wasteland of the Dark Side.”</p>
<p>Qui-Gon had nothing to say to that, so he didn’t bother. Obi-Wan, though, commented philosophically, “Well, we’re probably going to get a hell of workout before we even get to the Imperial Fortress.” He pointed and everyone near a viewport looked out once more.</p>
<p>In the distance, marching in eerie multiple singe file lines, marched the red and black clone elite troops that protected the Emperor. No one moved for a moment, their breath held, and there was a tiny bit of uncertainty pinging in the Force between them all.</p>
<p>Except Anakin.</p>
<p>“I came for a fight,” he said grimly. “Let’s give them one.” He turned to his main gunners. “If they are dumb enough to come to attack armed ships, make them pay for it. Shoot when they clear the inhabited areas.”</p>
<p>“Yes, Knight Skywalker,” the gunners said in unison.</p>
<p>Less than ten minutes later, the ozone of Coruscant’s so-called Imperial Quarters were alight with powerful, ship-born blasts. The barrage scored through not only the elite troops but also some of the walkways leading to the landing pads. A few troopers returned fire, but it was harmless. <em>The Negotiator</em>, and the other Jedi ships, shrugged off the ineffectual hits.</p>
<p>A half hour after the barrage began Anakin called it off. “I hate doing that,” he muttered as if to himself, but loud enough for everyone to hear. “Such a waste of life.”</p>
<p>Master Yoda patted the young man’s pant leg consolingly. “Sometimes do the undesirable for the greater good we must,” the old Jedi Master said mournfully. “Come. To the Emperor we must go.” Anakin effortlessly lifted his master to perch on his back and called for debarkation of all Jedi ships.</p>
<p>The clone troopers, despite now being called to attack the Empire rather than defend it, quickly and efficiently organized into various defensive and offensive formations. Per the meticulous plan agreed upon, Jedi and some former Sith Lords broke off with their assigned troops. It would be a multi-prong attack on the Emperor’s Fortress. Qui-Gon didn’t like it, but understood the strategy well. It wasn’t divide and conquer. It was to distract from the real threat.</p>
<p>Anakin Skywalker, The Chosen One of Ancient Prophesy, walked as if strolling leisurely down a shopping avenue, his wizened Jedi Master hanging off his back, lightsaber easily in hand but unlit. Behind him walked, less confidently, Master Mace Windu, Master Asajj Ventress, Master Saesee Tiin, and other Jedi Masters. In step with them were former Sith Lords Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Eeth Koth, Depa Billaba, and Ki-Adi Mundi. Like Skywalker, they carried their sabers in hand but unlit. Strangely, a small blue and white painted astromech droid rolled placidly behind Skywalker.</p>
<p>The walk to the imposing Imperial Fortress seemed interminable to Qui-Gon but he knew it was actually a short distance. Sidious’ predecessor, Emperor Plagueis, had been a lazy son of a Hutt and made sure that he could be in his stronghold in less than fifteen minutes on a return to Coruscant from wherever he had needed to be.</p>
<p><em>Or maybe it was paranoia.</em> Obi-Wan’s thought projected into Qui-Gon’s mind.</p>
<p><em>That is more likely</em>, Qui-Gon agreed in kind.</p>
<p>The party reached the large double doors that could count as the front, Qui-Gon supposed. Throwing an impish look at his assembled party, Skywalker cheekily wrapped his knuckles on the black durasteel doors. “Knock, knock! Destiny’s coming for a visit!” he called out playfully.</p>
<p>Master Yoda whacked him on the head with a clawed hand. “Imp,” the old master snapped without much heat.</p>
<p>“It’s either that or wet my pants, Master!” Anakin quipped but he obviously wasn’t serious. He peered at the panels by the door. “I would imagine the Emperor’s probably changed the codes that all of you would know by now,” he mused.</p>
<p>“He’s a paranoid bastard,” Obi-Wan agreed.</p>
<p>“R2, work your magic!” Anakin waved the little astromech droid forward.</p>
<p>R2 (further designation unknown) rolled to the door’s panel, popped out from inside its little body various tools and began to tinker. The panel’s plate clattered to the ground unceremoniously and the little astromech beeped thoughtfully at itself before selecting the proper tool and going to work. In less than five minutes the doors slid open without a fuss.</p>
<p>Anakin beamed. “R2-D2 is a genius!” he exclaimed. R2-D2 made a distinct raspberry sound at Anakin and whirled about to return to his spot behind the Chosen One. “He’s also very grumpy,” Anakin snickered. “Shall we?” He didn’t wait for agreement, but just stepped inside the darkness the open door revealed.</p>
<p>A blue saber lit, along with a green, to deflect the blaster bolts that greeted them. The final battle for the Galaxy had begun.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Sweat stung Obi-Wan’s eyes and a blaster burned a scorch mark across his left arm about two levels ago. It hurt too but he pushed the pain aside. Qui-Gon was the more experienced warrior of the two of them and Obi-Wan opted to cover Qui-Gon’s back and left flank as Skywalker’s party slowly crawled toward the level where the Emperor waited for them.</p>
<p>The old fool would occasionally open a holo unit nearby and mock their travails. If Sidious thought this would dishearten them, he seriously underestimated the entire situation. And Anakin Skywalker in particular. With every mocking sneer or jarring insult, Anakin called out cheerful rebuttals.</p>
<p>“If my mother is a parasite on a bantha’s rump, what do you call a man who sits on a throne, making everyone else fight his battles?”</p>
<p>Occasionally Master Yoda, now fighting on the ground level with an agility that was astonishing considering his extreme advanced age, would mutter that Anakin needed to stop encouraging the exchange and concentrate on fighting.</p>
<p>“Master,” Anakin would return, “I’m <em>trying</em> to bork him off.”</p>
<p>“Borking me off, you are instead,” Yoda would snark back. It was obvious that neither meant the rebukes they gave each other.</p>
<p>The astromech, R2-D2, was indeed the genius Skywalker earlier declared it to be. There wasn’t a damned door, trap, or contraption that the little mechanical beast couldn’t figure out to disable in less than ten minutes at the very most. A particularly troublesome door had the little droid beeping and blooping in an aggravated manner.</p>
<p>Depa Billaba slanted a glance in shock to Windu at that point. “Where did a droid learn <em>that</em>?” she asked.</p>
<p>Windu merely pressed his lips in a tight line. “We’ve been begging Anakin to let us wipe its offensive little brain since he picked it up on Naboo when he rescued Queen Amidala.” Windu then rolled his eyes. “He thinks it’s <em>cute</em>.”</p>
<p>Skywalker’s laughing voice filtered back to them. “It is!”</p>
<p>R2 got them access to the elevators that would take them all directly to the level below the Emperor’s throne room. There was only one access point from there, a single lift that opened to the short corridor that led directly to the Emperor’s inner sanctum.</p>
<p>“Be warned,” Obi-Wan panted, “this level is going to be crawling with his elite bodyguards and the high tier Inquisitors.”</p>
<p>“They will offer no mercy,” Qui-Gon added. “They are true and loyal fanatics.”</p>
<p>The crowded lift stopped and Yoda, hand raised, forced the doors to remain closed instead of automatically opening as was their design. “Remain here I will,” the wizened master proclaimed.</p>
<p>Anakin looked down at him in alarm and opened his mouth to protest.</p>
<p>“Need someone you do to keep escape way clear,” Yoda said unequivocally. Then a fond smile lit the ancient being’s face. “Fine you will be, Anakin Skywalker. No longer my padawan are you, but a Knight of the Jedi Order, powerful and strong. Need my guidance no longer do you. Go. Save galaxy you will.”</p>
<p>Anakin’s countenance was troubled but he nodded resolutely and gave Yoda a deep bow. “Yes, my master,” he intoned seriously. He straightened up, look at everyone with him and gave a nod. “Ready?” he asked.</p>
<p>There was a single, unified nod of affirmative. The doors slid open and all hell broke loose. Obi-Wan instinctively blocked and ricochet blaster bolts back to their origin point until finally he was engaged by one of the grey skinned, red-tattooed Inquisitors.</p>
<p>“Traitor!” spat the zealot.</p>
<p>“Lunatic,” countered Obi-Wan, ducking under a strike and bringing his now blue blade up from its position between his opponent’s legs. The two halves fell gruesomely apart and Obi-Wan stepped over them, dismissing his opponent to move on to the next.</p>
<p>And the next.</p>
<p>And the next.</p>
<p>Qui-Gon was some distance ahead of him and Obi-Wan was anxious to get to his love. Something felt distinctly wrong and even as he fought fiercely one opponent and another, he tried to parse what it was bothering him.</p>
<p>Some smell tickled his nose and it flashed into his brain immediately. “Thermite charges in the walls!” he screamed over the din of battle.</p>
<p>His current foe gave a draigon’s grin. “I die with honor,” the nameless Inquisitor boasted. “You die unmourned and forgotten.”</p>
<p>Obi-Wan sliced his foe’s arm holding his saber off and kicked him into the wall. “You first,” he panted and rushed forward, screaming once more his warning.</p>
<p>He got to Windu, who grabbed his arm to halt Obi-Wan’s pell-mell rush, and merely said, “Wait.”</p>
<p>Obi-Wan’s panic subsided to confused alarm. “Wait for what?”</p>
<p>Windu merely nodded to where Skywalker stood. Obi-Wan watched in panic as The Chosen One stood calmly in the midst of the chaos around him, eyes closed and spinning in a slow circle. Both of Anakin’s hands were outstretched just a bit at chest height. To Obi-Wan’s amazement they were encased in a white luminescence.</p>
<p>Then the walls exploded.</p>
<p>“Qui-Gon!” Obi-Wan screamed.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Qui-Gon heard Obi-Wan’s warning and muttered under his breath, “Paranoid bastards,” just as he decapitated an Elite Sith Guard. The head, encased in its red helmet, bounced once on the floor before rolling to rest at the feet of Qui-Gon’s next crimson-clad opponent.</p>
<p>Even as Qui-Gon battled he was trying to figure out how to get them out of this damned abattoir before it exploded. Then it did.</p>
<p>During a philosophical discussion one evening between himself, Windu and Yoda, Qui-Gon had somewhat naively asked if Jedi believed in an afterlife. Yoda’s ears had lifted, a mannerism that told Qui-Gon that Yoda was interested or fully engaged in the goings on.</p>
<p>“Become one with the Force we do,” Yoda had said. “And since the Force the universe, we are then the universe.”</p>
<p>Qui-Gon had frowned. “I don’t understand,” he confessed.</p>
<p>“Well, to be honest, we don’t know either,” Windu had said, pouring Qui-Gon another glass of local wine. “It’s not like Jedi from long ago have come back and told us.” When Qui-Gon went to comment on that, Windu had raised a staying hand. “When we die, our bodies dissipate, I suppose you could say, into the universe. So much space dust, poof!”</p>
<p>“You all just turned to ash?” Qui-Gon had asked skeptically.</p>
<p>Yoda grunted affirmatively. “My master, so many centuries ago, did not,” he admitted. “A pyre I built for her. Very difficult it was. Dagobah then as now very humid. Hard to get bonfire going to consume her mortal remains it was. But most Jedi who have embraced the Light Side wholeheartedly, yes, dissipate they do.”</p>
<p>With the mines in the walls detonating in a thunderous explosion, Qui-Gon found himself remembering that conversation and wondering if he’d been in the Light long enough to dissipate or would he leave behind a splatter on what was left of the walls and floors.</p>
<p>Neither as it turned out.</p>
<p>Debris flew by all of Anakin’s companions, even little R2-D2, harmlessly. Their erstwhile foes did not fare so well. The aftermath was more than just a little gory. Anakin opened his eyes, face a bit pale from the effort he’d expended.</p>
<p>“Not exactly what I wanted,” he rasped, “but I suppose it is most expeditious.”</p>
<p>“By the stars,” Qui-Gon said in shock. “How did you-?” He couldn’t finish but just gestured to the resulting carnage.</p>
<p>Anakin looked chagrinned but shrugged. “The Force told me what to do,” he said simply. “Is that all of them?”</p>
<p>Obi-Wan’s stunned voice, to Qui-Gon’s intense relief, responded, “Yes. Rather.”</p>
<p>Skywalker’s features hardened into grim determination. “Then let’s go. If we do this right, I can be home, tucking my children into bed by the end of the week.” The words were meant to be light and joking but fell flat.</p>
<p>No one said anything but moved forward, sabers lit. The final lift stood open, a gaping maw in the battered walls around it. “I want the troopers to stay here,” Anakin said. “This is between us and the Emperor, no offense.”</p>
<p>Cody, Rex and the others saluted and spread out, sentinels as fierce as the ones the thermite mines recently demolished. The Force users entered the lift and it rose with a low hum Qui-Gon never noticed before.</p>
<p>There was a burble from someone’s comm, Windu’s it turned out. “We’ve got heavy opposition,” reported a female Jedi’s voice that Qui-Gon didn’t recognize. “We heard explosions. Is everyone okay?”</p>
<p>“Watch out for thermite mines in the walls,” came Windu’s dry report.</p>
<p>There was a startled silence over the comm unit and then a faint, “Right. We’ll, er, do that. But just letting you know we can’t rendezvous as planned.”</p>
<p>Anakin’s voice was loud enough to picked up by the comm unit in Windu’s hand. “We’ll be all right. May the Force be with you, Luminara.”</p>
<p>“And with you, Anakin.”</p>
<p>The lift doors opened to an eerily empty corridor. One lone door set within the walls halfway down was closed and the access panel was sparking. Someone had purposefully sabotaged it.</p>
<p>Everyone trooped off the lift and Force senses stretched out, Qui-Gon trying to find out if there was more thermite in the walls. Controlling the damage of that blast seemed to have taken a bit of spark out of Skywalker. They didn’t need him wasting all of his energy before the big climatic fight even commenced.</p>
<p>Obi-Wan stepped even with him, their shoulders brushing. “I have a bad feeling about this,” he intoned lowly.</p>
<p>“I agree,” Qui-Gon nodded. “This smells like a set up.” He closed his eyes, centered himself in the Force, now Light rather than Dark, and opened himself freely.</p>
<p>There. In the ducts overhead that none of them, not even the Inner Circle, knew existed, swirled a deadly acidic gas that would pour through miniscule pores in the ceiling. Something niggled at him and he concentrated hard.</p>
<p>Gas turned to a liquid at his command and that liquid was filtered over and over until it turned to harmless water. The ceiling rained down water on them, causing a few to curse out loud.</p>
<p>“Don’t turn off your sabers!” Obi-Wan’s voice warned loudly. “If you Jedi made them correctly, they’ll withstand a little soaking.”</p>
<p>The corridor was awash with a rainbow of blues, greens, purples and oranges from the still lit sabers. Qui-Gon staggered a bit when he took a cautious step forward. Obi-Wan braced him.</p>
<p>“How did you do that?” he asked in hushed voice.</p>
<p>Qui-Gon barked a laugh. “I have no idea,” he admitted. “The Force told me what to do.” He unconsciously repeated Anakin’s earlier phrase and Obi-Wan rolled his eyes in exasperation.</p>
<p>Anakin, hair dripping water down the neck of his tunics, was staring at the door leading to his destiny with a pensive expression. He put a hand on the solid metal and gave a small push.</p>
<p>It fell inside the chamber.</p>
<p>Anakin slanted a look at everyone, as if to gauge their readiness, and then stepped within The Emperor of the Galactic Empire’s inner sanctum. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan glanced at each other, took identical deep breaths, and followed with the rest.</p>
<hr/>
<p>The chambers were familiar but not. The expansive circular room had never been warm and inviting but neither had it been entirely hostile. It was hostile, even downright chillingly evil, to Obi-Wan now. He skewed his vision right and left, above and below, but the room was empty.</p>
<p>Well, except the pasty-skinned, withered <em>thing</em> sitting on his black throne.</p>
<p>“Anakin Skywalker,” Emperor Sheev Palpatine greeted with a hint of a sneer. “Some nobody bastard from the Outer Rim slave camps.”</p>
<p>Anakin came to a halt halfway to the throne, right where the Inner Circle’s line of kneeling dimwits used to be. Yes, Obi-Wan once counted himself among that number. He felt the Emperor’s gaze on him and flicked his own over to the man.</p>
<p>“So, Kenobi, you bragged about killing the Chosen One and then coming for me,” the Sith Master cackled. “How the mighty have fallen.”</p>
<p>Obi-Wan arched an eyebrow. “I believe the proper term is ‘turned’, not fallen. I did politely ask Anakin if I could make the killing blow and he regretfully declined my request. He said it wasn’t my job. So, yes, I suppose you could say I’m leaving your end of days to the better man.”</p>
<p>The Emperor spat at him, the little bit of spittle barely making it beyond the old Sith’s robes. “You are a sentimental dreg, Kenobi, you and that offal you call a <em>lover</em>. I see you’ve reunited. Let me amend that.”</p>
<p>Lightning arced from their opponent’s fingertips but Qui-Gon braced his green blade before it, wrapping the electrical storm up and allowing it to harmlessly dissipate.</p>
<p>“Or not,” Qui-Gon noted calmly. “I appreciate the thought, though.”</p>
<p>Sidious’ features hardened into a manic rage and the room exploded into a full electrical storm, radiating to every Light Sider present. A couple wavered before the onslaught but quickly recovered and everyone’s combined power soon leeched the storm of its own.</p>
<p>To the entire room’s, the Emperor included, astonishment, Anakin let out a loud shout of laughter. “You’re a one trick bantha,” he chortled mockingly. “You made yourself the most powerful in the Empire because you could shoot some sparks from your fingertips?”</p>
<p>The storm refocused entirely on Anakin, dancing around the young man’s body. Anakin gave a couple of involuntary twitches at first but the lightning soon dispersed altogether.</p>
<p>“Yeah, just a one trick bantha,” Anakin noted. “I could probably train a mudhorn to do that just as easily.”</p>
<p>A red blade burst forth from Sidious’ seated position a heartbeat before the Emperor sprang from his throne, howling in fury. “You will show me respect, refuse, or I will find that little rebellious wife and those two brats from your loins and make them into my personal slaves.”</p>
<p>Anakin’s eyes glittered as his blue blade met the red blade thrusting his way in a pivoted block. “If you’re stupid enough to let Padmé get that close to you, you deserve every bit of punishment she’ll mete out.”</p>
<p>As planned, the others encircled the two fighters, making sure Palpatine tried no tricks and to offer support to Anakin if needed. It wasn’t needed.</p>
<p>“As for my children,” Anakin continued as he blocked over and over so effortlessly that it built the rage inside the decrepit form he fought. “Luke would probably knee cap you at first opportunity. Leia, she’s my princess, true, but she doesn’t suffer fools lightly. She’d probably poison your morning milk.”</p>
<p>“He doesn’t drink milk,” Obi-Wan called mockingly. “It’s bitter caff, strong enough to melt duracrete.” A couple of people arched inquiring eyebrows at him. He shrugged. “I was a table boy for a while before Qui-Gon took me to train as his acolyte. I do have to say,” he added just to needle Anakin’s opponent, “his table manners are <em>atrocious</em>.”</p>
<p>The Emperor’s attention split between Anakin and Obi-Wan at that dig and Anakin took full advantage of it. An arm flopped to the floor and the Emperor screamed with agony. The room shimmered with a red haze as the premier Sith Lord of the realm gathered his power for a hammer strike.</p>
<p>Obi-Wan opened his mouth to warn Anakin, and everyone else, but was too late. The electricity in the air literally had hairs standing on end. Qui-Gon looked almost comical, if the situation weren’t so dire.</p>
<p>He heard Windu’s hoarse, “Ani!” but Anakin Skywalker was this flickering image in the strobing atmosphere.</p>
<p>There was a shrill ‘weeeeeoooo!’ and R2-D2 whizzed past Obi-Wan, careening almost madly through the circle of fighters and ramming into the Emperor. Maddened, deafening laughter cut off abruptly into a short scream of terror.</p>
<p>Obi-Wan shaded his eyes with his free hand, trying to discern what was going on before him. It took a moment to realize that the atmospheric insanity was moving, inexorably, toward the edge of the throne room platform. Beyond that was an abyss the entire length of the many storied building. Many an insolent Sith Lord met their end being tossed over the side, usually unconscious or incapacitated in some way, to splat below.</p>
<p>There was another infuriated, horrified scream and the room suddenly cleared. Obi-Wan fell to his knees at the immediate lack of intense bombardment, physically and mentally. Qui-Gon landed next to him, panting just as hard as Obi-Wan was.</p>
<p>“Wh-what happened?” Obi-Wan gasped.</p>
<p>“I tossed him over the side,” came Anakin’s own wheeze, faint from across the room. “But I hit with the hilt of my lightsaber first to make sure he was not conscious.”</p>
<p>“We should check to make sure he’s, um, a flatcake,” muttered Windu from his own prone position on the floor.</p>
<p>There was silence, other than the exhausted and pained pants, wheezes and snuffles from the group of triumphant galactic liberators.</p>
<p>Then, curiosity lacing his voice, Anakin asked, “R2, who is C-3PO?” There were some exhausted beeps and boops from the astromech droid to which Anakin replied, “Then yes, your friend has been avenged too.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>My roommate and I were debating how to end this battle, how to make it epic and I jokingly said I should have R2 swan in and push the Emperor off the balcony into the abyss below. We chuckled and said “that would be funny but not appropriate”. But when I jokingly added that it would be to ‘avenge C-3PO’ the bug got into my head. And so yeah, R2 helped Anakin, in his own inimitable curmudgeon fashion, bring the Empire to its knees here too. </p>
<p>ALL HAIL THE REAL HERO OF THE STAR WARS MOVIES! </p>
<p>Chapter title is ancient Greek phrase of undetermined source.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>This is the end, my only friend, the end - Sorry, couldn't help the Doors lyrics.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Last chapter! Sorry about the time gap in posting. This week's been chaos and I forgot yesterday.</p>
<p>Thanks to all of your offering comments, emojis, kudos, etc. I APPRECIATE IT!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The new Galactic Senate was pretty much an unholy mess and Qui-Gon was intimate with them so he’d know. The Throne Room of the Sith Emperors had been completely gutted and its towering room had been turned into a series of hundreds of balconies to house representatives from every sentient species or planetary grouping that wanted a seat at the new powerbase table. Qui-Gon had been trying for the last two hours to skitter out a side door like a roach in the light to no avail. Obi-Wan he hadn’t seen in just as long.</p>
<p>“Ah, Lord, er, Jedi, um, Master Jinn,” sputtered a nervous voice from behind him and Qui-Gon resignedly plastered a pleased smile on his face before turning around. A nervous Malastarian was fidgeting about two feet from Qui-Gon, resplendent in fine fabrics. His bulbous eye stalks blinked rapidly.</p>
<p>“Senator,” Qui-Gon bowed respectfully. “Welcome to the new Galactic Senate. The Malastarian contingent’s balcony is right this way.” Qui-Gon went to usher the anxious being on but the Malastarian stopped him.</p>
<p>“No, no,” he burbled. “I, er, wished to thank you.”</p>
<p>Qui-Gon arched an eyebrow and waited.</p>
<p>“While I know The Chosen One is who we owe much too, we also owe you and those of you who turned away from the Dark.” The Malastarian bowed in respect. “Thank you for allowing yourself enlightenment when so many would never have looked for it.” The being gave a tremulous nod and scurried away.</p>
<p>“You should have told him that Anakin mind-raped us,” Obi-Wan’s amused voice said where he magically appeared at Qui-Gon’s left side.</p>
<p>Anakin was right beside Obi-Wan, looking disgruntled. “I didn’t <em>mind rape</em> you, Obi-Wan,” he groused good-naturedly.</p>
<p>“I beg to differ. I’m not a crier,” countered Obi-Wan. He nudged Qui-Gon with an elbow. “Unlike Qui-Gon here, who sobs over the smallest upsetting things.”</p>
<p>Qui-Gon didn’t rise to the bait. “Can we leave now?” he asked in a plaintive voice.</p>
<p>“Gods yes,” Anakin sighed. “Padmé said everyone better be at our place for dinner promptly or you’re doing without.”</p>
<p>“Considering Padmé’s cooking,” mused Obi-Wan but he didn’t finish it when Anakin gave him a mock-stern look that melted into a snort of laughter.</p>
<p>“I’m sure Mother is helping,” Anakin added. “It <em>is</em> a lot of people we’re feeding.”</p>
<p>“Shmi can cook for me anytime,” Obi-Wan enthused.</p>
<p>Qui-Gon rolled his eyes. “At this rate, I’ll be rolling you around the galaxy in a little pushcart. You’ll be fat as a Hutt.”</p>
<p>Obi-Wan stuck his tongue out at Qui-Gon in retaliation. Qui-Gon took retribution by reeling Obi-Wan to him and putting that tongue to better use.</p>
<p>“You two are worse than Windu and Ventress,” chuckled Anakin.</p>
<p>Qui-Gon released a stupidly blinking Obi-Wan. “No one’s that sappy,” rejoined Qui-Gon. “The new Senate can get along without us for a while. Let’s go.”</p>
<p>“Food?” both Anakin and Obi-Wan asked hopefully as the trio made their way for a nearby exit. Anakin used a bit of subtle mind manipulation to divert anyone thinking of accosting them further.</p>
<p>“That’s flirting with the Dark Side,” smirked Obi-Wan.</p>
<p>“Shut up, Kenobi,” grinned Anakin.</p>
<p>“Children,” Qui-Gon said with mock-sternness. “I can take you both over my knee.”</p>
<p>“Save that for the bedroom, Jinn. And leave me out of it!” laughed Anakin.</p>
<p>They walked through the door and onto a small parapet that acted as a waiting area for taxi pickups. A droid operated cab stopped and they climbed in.</p>
<p>“So,” Obi-Wan asked Anakin, “the new Galactic Republic, is it all you dreamed of and more?”</p>
<p>Anakin sighed. “Apparently politicians are the root of all evil, not Sith,” he grumbled.</p>
<p>“You have much to learn,” Qui-Gon teased. “Good thing you’re young and married a politician yourself. Padmé will whip you into shape.”</p>
<p>“But save it for the bedroom,” snarked Obi-Wan.</p>
<p>Anakin sighed and rolled his eyes.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>fin</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Chapter title is a quote from Plato</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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